Brotherly Love and SYDNEY
by steamboat
Summary: This is a sequel to Brotherly Love and Kidnapping. This story takes place after the gang who took Nigel prisoner were put on trial and sent to prison. It is about Nigel and Sydney's relationship, which is made quite difficult as Nigel is suffering mental trauma after his ordeal in Rio. PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW.
1. Chapter 1

**BROTHERLY LOVE AND SYDNEY**

 **RECAP OF PREVIOUS STORY.**

 **In Brotherly Love and Kidnapping, which was set in 2003, we learned that:-**

 **Nigel had been kidnapped and raped at the age of six and suffered psychological problems for a long time after that. His parents died, when he was 12, and his brother, Preston, who is seven years older than him, raised him and eventually sent him to Oxford University. The brother's relationship had become very difficult, which was why Nigel left home and went to the States to work for Sydney. Sydney had become aware, over the years, that the brothers were at odds; although she was convinced they loved each other. Believing that, she secretly devised a plan to get Preston and Nigel to come to Rio with her. Once there she hoped she'd get them to reconcile; which after a short time, they did. Sadly, while they were still in Rio, Nigel was taken prisoner by a sadistic gang, led by Niklas Ferreira. That brute locked Nigel in a cell, where he was beaten, starved and then mentally and sexually abused by Ferreira's sister, Maria. Ferreira's gang turned out to be the same brutes that had kidnapped Nigel as a child! Eventually Nigel was rescued, although having been through such a horrific time, he was totally traumatised. He then returned home to London with Preston and began the long road to recovery. Physically he recovered quite quickly, but the psychological problems, mostly caused by what Maria did, stayed with him. Despite his mental issues, which prevented him from having a full sexual relationship, Sydney fell in love with him. Ferreira and his gang were extradited from Brazil, put on trial in London and sent to prison – for life!**

 **This is the sequel to Brotherly Love and Kidnapping and it tells you what happened between Sydney and Nigel right after the Ferreira trial. Hope you enjoy it!**

 **If necessary, I'll give you a few reminders about the original story; I'll try to do this chapter by chapter.**

 **REMINDERS**

 **The rules concerning Nigel's bedroom were made by his mother and meant that neither of her sons was permitted to have females in their bedrooms. Even though Preston believed he should respect his mother's wishes, he made an exception for Sydney; as long as she and Nigel didn't have sex!**

 **Nancy is Nigel's therapist.  
**

 **CHAPTER 1**

When they heard the much awaited verdict, everyone in the back room of the Court hugged each other, particularly Sydney and Nigel, who both shed tears of joy and took quite a while to separate. It was then, as Preston watched the two of them together, that reality struck and he believed that, very soon, he'd be alone again, as Nigel would be going back to America.

Naturally, Preston was delighted that his little brother had found happiness with Sydney; it was just that he knew how much he'd worry about him; not only because he'd soon return to the dangers of relic hunting, but also because he'd, obviously, still suffer nightmares and intimacy problems for some time to come.

On the same day as the trial finished, at round nine in the evening, Sydney asked Preston to meet her privately in the library. This worried him slightly, bearing in mind she made it clear she didn't want Nigel to hear. However, to Preston's utter astonishment, instead of saying any of the terrible things he'd imagined, she asked if he'd take Nigel away on holiday for a couple of weeks!

"Oh! But Sydney…I thought you'd be desperate to have him back in America with you….um…I hope nothing's wrong between you two!" Preston said, looking worried and confused at the same time.

"No…no we're fine….it's just that well….Cate warned me earlier today that the press will be swarming all over this house now the trials finished….and she thinks they'll do the same at Trinity….and even my own home! She believes they'll be desperate to get exclusive stories about Ferreira's gang…and photos of me…but even more so, of Nigel!" Sydney said, feeling quite frustrated by the whole thing.

Preston sat down and looked up at Sydney "he'll be so upset if you leave him behind" he said, scratching his head "he's totally got his heart set on going back to America with you."

"Look Preston….if Nigel goes back there right now…the paparazzi will ruin his chance of starting a normal life again!...They'll keep him prisoner in his own home! You must have noticed how big the trial's become; it's been on TV every day….all over the world! You know there's every chance that the paparazzi will be hanging around and harassing us for ages! You need to get Nigel away from it!"

Looking very concerned, Preston realised that some of that had occurred already, as he'd had to call the police, on a couple of occasions, when photographers had knocked on the front door or pointed cameras at the windows! However, just as Sydney was waiting for Preston's further response, Cate knocked on the door and came in.

"Hey what are you two up to!?...Having a secret affair?" she quipped, looking directly at Sydney, who instantly realised she was joking.

"Certainly not!" Preston replied, feeling quite shocked; until he noticed Cate's amused expression "Oh, I see…very droll…..can I do something for you Cate?"

"Well no, I actually just came in to tell you there're some photographers trying to get over the fence at the end of your garden….I think you'd better call the police, or at least close all the curtains, especially in the downstairs rooms" Cate said, walking over to the huge windows.

"Damn it!….Thank you Cate,...Sydney was just telling me how bad things might get….oh…where's Nigel!?" Preston said, suddenly looking alarmed "I don't want him being upset by them!"

"It's OK, he's upstairs with Mrs Jackson" Cate said, pulling the curtains together "she wants him to have an early night….he had such a bad headache when we got back from court.…and he didn't eat his dinner…..I think she's trying to get him to eat something now."

"Oh good…best he stays upstairs then" Preston said, walking over to the window so that he could peep through a gap at the side of the curtains.

"Too right" Cate said, noticing how tired they both looked "I guess it's been a stressful day for everyone…look Sydney….there must be at least 10 reporters standing by the fence now!"

Sydney rushed over and stood behind Preston "Darn….you were right Cate….actually….just before I came in here I rang the Dean at Trinity and explained that this could happen over there" Sydney said, trying to close the gap in the curtains.

"Oh…so what did he say Sydney?" Preston asked, hoping the delay in Nigel's return wouldn't become a problem.

"Well he said they've already had calls from the press asking about Nigel and me, so um….he asked that both of us stay away for a while longer so the press will have no reason to go there...actually Preston….I wasn't going to tell you that because if Nigel learns that I haven't gone home, he'll want to stay with me and it won't be safe….his face has been on the front page of too many newspapers; he'd be recognised….I'm going to put my hair up, wear brighter make up and check into the Ritz….I'll be OK."

"Oh…I suppose you're right Sydney" Preston said, wondering how he was going to explain things to Nigel without upsetting him.

"Well I can arrange for a couple of Interpol agents to drive you to your hotel Sydney….they'll ensure you're not followed" Cate said, trying to be helpful.

"Oh no….I'm sure I'll be OK…I'm pretty good at that kind of thing….you have to be when you're trying to get away from rival relic hunters" Sydney said, forgetting just how many reporters were actually outside!

"Sydney, never misjudge the paparazzi; they can make thousands of pounds for a single photograph! It would be a lot better to let a couple of my agents whisk you off to the Ritz…good idea to wear a disguise though" Cate said, trying to ensure that her friend took the matter seriously "oh yes…..have you two spoken about taking Nigel out of the country for a couple of weeks?"

"Yes Cate….that's why I'm here actually….but you haven't said what you think about it yet Preston?" Sydney said, hoping he'd see sense.

"Well….of course….it's a good idea" Preston replied, thinking about how he'd go about it "Ah….I know what I'll do….I'll call Gerard….he's a friend of mine who has a private plane; he'll fly us somewhere nice…actually though….I don't think any of us will want to be here with that lot outside, so I think I'll ask Mrs Jackson and Nathan to come too…in fact…you know what…..I'm just going to lock the house up and send all of the staff home on paid leave; otherwise I'm sure they'll get harassed."

Sydney smiled "that's such a great idea Preston….you know you're really lovely to your staff…so thoughtful….in fact you remind me of….well….Nigel!" Sydney said, suddenly realising then that there was a difficult job still to do "I guess I'd better go upstairs and explain everything to Nigel….I just hope he doesn't get too upset about not coming back home with me."

"Yes...um…thank you….it um….might be better coming from you….I actually better ask the staff to close the curtains now….then I'll call the police….I want those hooligans moved! As soon as that's sorted out I'll ring Gerard; I only spoke to him 2 days ago….he asked about Nigel and enquired if I knew of anyone who needed his services…..so I know his plane's for hire" Preston said, peeking behind the curtains, as Sydney and Cate left the room.

Sydney was feeling a little apprehensive about telling Nigel the news. However, she knew it would be kinder to do it now, rather than let him get overly excited about America and then springing it on him in the morning! Therefore, with her heart almost in her throat she knocked on his bedroom door.

"Oh hello Sydney…I've been trying to get this one to eat something, perhaps you'll do better" Mrs Jackson said, as she opened the door and turned around to look at Nigel.

"Well I'll try" Sydney replied, as she walked inside and sat on the chair, next to the bed. As soon as the elderly lady left she promptly leapt over to Nigel and kissed him passionately on the lips; causing him to blush scarlet!

"Hey, I thought you were over being embarrassed about kissing me!" she laughed.

"I…oh yes…I am….it's just…well nana….she still thinks of me as a little boy and…you know…she might come back in" he said, trying to hide his red face by smoothing down his hair, as he eyed up the door.

"Oh Nigel" Sydney said, shaking her head and smiling.

"I...I think she's gone downstairs now….so um….I'll have a bit more please!" Nigel said, cocking his head to the side which made him look quite childlike.

Sydney laughed and began to kiss him again; trying not to think about the real reason she was there and succeeding for a while. But then, with no warning at all, Nigel's body suddenly went rigid, which instantly made her think he was about to freak out! Therefore, trying to do the right thing, she gently pulled away and looked at him lovingly "you OK Nige?" she asked, feeling a little worried.

"Oh…oh yes…sorry Syd…I…I thought I heard someone outside" he said, looking over to the door again "I can't hear anyone now though….can you?"

"No Sweetie…I can't" she replied, looking at him sympathetically but noticing he seemed quite sad "hey come on…..I didn't mean to upset you Nige."

"You didn't Syd…..it's just….well" Nigel said, shrugging his shoulders "It's just being in here…..and….and….God! It's because I've had to recall all of those disgusting things that that woman did to me!"

"Oh damn….I'm so sorry….I should have realised you'd be feeling a bit sensitive about what was said in the courtroom….and….of course…..I know the rules about this room too" she replied, shifting a little bit further away from him.

"Thanks Syd…thanks for understanding...but…but if only we were somewhere else!" Nigel said, putting his knees up in front of his chest to hide the fact that he'd become very aroused! "I…I mi….might have been alright if we'd been in a nice hotel."

"Well….we're not Sweetie….but regardless of that….I see there's nothing wrong with your machinery!" she said, reassuringly patting him on his knees.

"Oh Syd!" he replied, red-faced yet smiling "I….I need to pee!"

Sydney's eyes widened as Nigel suddenly leapt off the bed and rushed into the bathroom "hey….don't take too long….I need to talk to you" she called out in a slightly raised voice, so that he'd hear her through the closed door.

Feeling mortified, yet in some ways glad that Sydney had noticed his reaction to her, he didn't reply, but simply relieved himself, washed his hands and face and smoothed down his hair. Five minutes later, not wanting to keep the love of his life waiting, he crept out of the bathroom, looking a little sheepish "um…sorry Syd….I had to go…weak bladder, remember?"

"Of course! Feel better now?"

"M…much….um…are you hungry Syd?" Nigel said, lifting the silver cover off the plate that Mrs Jackson had left for him "have a buttered crumpet…they should still be OK…even though they've gone cold."

She thanked him for the savoury treat and took a big bite, which caused the butter to drip down her chin "Darn!" she said, trying to wipe off the butter with the back of her hand.

"Oh let me um" Nigel said, handing her a tissue, but wishing he had the nerve to lick it off!

"Thanks Nige…..hey…you have one as well or I'll tell Mrs Jackson!" she said, watching him as he picked one up and took a big bite.

"Nigel…I have something to tell you….and I don't want you to get upset; just remember I love you and I want you to stay safe, OK?" she said, noticing his face turn white.

"What…what do you mean, stay safe? From what?" he squeaked, completely unnerved by her statement.

Trying to be as tactful as possible, but feeling the need to be totally truthful, she carefully explained about the photographers and other press who were gathering outside and what she, Cate and Preston thought they should do about it.

"But Syd…I could stay at the Ritz with you! It would be the perfect opportunity to…to…you know! I don't want to be away from you anymore….please….if the press find me, I'll cope; I will!" Nigel said, desperately blinking back the tears so that she wouldn't see them.

"I know you'd try Nige….but it's not just about you….I'd feel frustrated and angry if they trapped us in the hotel….they're not just regular pressmen…they're the paparazzi…they stalk people they want to photograph and I wouldn't be able to protect you…there're just too many of them" Sydney said, wondering if, actually it would have been better to have lied about staying in London.

Having then told Nigel she was sorry, she kissed him on the lips and, unsuccessfully, tried to ignore the look of disappointment on his face. Praying to God for a miracle to let her be with Nigel, very soon, she quietly closed the door behind her and went downstairs, feeling rather depressed.

"Everything OK Preston?" she asked, trying to hide her feelings when she met him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh yes fine…well for now anyway….the police have moved those men from the garden but, apparently, they can't stop them from standing in the street…that means we're going to have a problem getting away tomorrow!" Preston said, looking a little worried "um….you know Sydney….it might actually be better if you came with us on holiday, rather than stay in London…it would be less stressful for you and I'm sure Nigel would love you to come."

"Oh….well that's very kind of you Preston….but are you really sure you don't mind?" Sydney asked, feeling her prayer had just been answered and hiding her delight.

"Of course not, it'll be lovely having you around….especially now that the trial's over and we can relax and enjoy ourselves!" Preston replied, wondering why he hadn't thought of inviting her earlier.

"Well actually Preston…that would solve a problem…you see when I explained to Nigel about going on a trip with you, he wasn't at all happy and, just like I thought, he asked if he could stay in London with me" Sydney said, suddenly noticing how hurt Preston looked "oh no no….it's not that he doesn't want to be with you…it's just well….you know how long we've waited for a chance to be a normal couple."

"Oh well….yes….that's true" Preston said, understanding Nigel's need.

"So are you sure that your friend's plane will be big enough for all of us?" Sydney asked, noticing Preston seemed a little happier now.

"Oh yes, I believe it seats ten, quite comfortably.…um...I wonder if Nigel's still awake….maybe we should pop up and tell him you're coming" Preston said, as he began to walk to the door.

"Well I've said goodnight to him but I doubt he'll be asleep…..so yes….let's put him out of his misery!" Sydney said, believing Nigel would be a lot happier then.

Having quickly run up the stairs, they rather quietly knocked on Nigel's door "Podge….are you asleep?" Preston whispered, poking his head into the room.

"No Preston….what is it!?" Nigel snapped.

"Calm down…..Sydney and I have something nice to tell" Preston replied, obviously realising why his brother was irritable.

Nigel immediately sat up "um….what is it?….Are you going to let me stay with you Syd?" Nigel asked, feeling quite hopeful.

"No…but well…..actually….I'm coming on vacation with you...is that alright misery guts!?" Sydney asked, rushing to the bed and throwing her arms around Nigel.

"Oh Syd…..thank God! I've been tossing and turning here trying to think of a way I could stay with you!" Nigel said, suddenly realising then how ungrateful he must sound to his brother "um sorry Pres….is it um….still OK if I come with you?"

"No! You can stay here alone young man!" Preston joked, pretending to be offended that his brother had chosen Sydney over him. Nigel immediately realised he was joking and retaliated by poking his tongue out at Preston!

Sydney loved seeing the brothers joking with each other as their closeness really shone through during those times. That also made her feel a lot less guilty about being the one who, with all the best intentions in the world, tricked them into going to Rio.

"I'll leave you two to chat about the holiday then; I need my beauty sleep after all we've been through today" Sydney said, walking towards the door "night…see you in the morning."

"Night Syd" Nigel said, blowing her a kiss just before she closed the door behind her.

"Podge you will be careful about what you and Sydney get up to on holiday, won't you? Just remember what Nancy said before she went home tonight…..you know…about not rushing into things" Preston said, pulling the sheet over his brother.

"Pres…I'm not going to kid myself….I know it won't be plain sailing…but Syd and I desperately want a normal relationship….you understand that don't you?"

"Yes of course I do Podge…..I want that for you too!"

"Then….um….will….will you let us share a bedroom on holiday? Please….I just want to get used to her being there" Nigel said, looking very hopeful.

"Well…I'm not really sure about that Podge" Preston said, looking very seriously at his younger brother.

"Please Preston…nothing will happen…..my messed up brain hasn't caught up with my body yet" Nigel said, looking rather sad.

"Well I suppose so….as long as Sydney's agreeable….but you have to take things very slowly….no thinking that because it's Sydney all of the demons in your head will disappear….they won't!" Preston said, feeling so sorry for Nigel "I heard Nancy tell you that if you're really not ready to um…make love….and you go ahead anyway...you could have a panic attack, like before, and be back to square one."

"I remember she said that Pres…but she also said that kissing and cuddling was a good thing….as…..as long as I'm under no pressure to move things forward…but um…Syd's not pushing me….I just can't bear to be without her anymore."

"I suppose she's all you need now Nigel" Preston said, looking a little hurt.

"Oh no Pres…..that doesn't mean I...I…don't need you! I always will….I'll miss you terribly when I go back to America...in…in….fact I…um…always did really" Nigel said, looking sincerely at his older brother.

"God Podge….you've absolutely no idea how much I'm dreading you leaving" Preston said, feeling such deep affection for Nigel.

"I'll visit you as often as I can Pres….I'm sure Sydney won't mind….in fact….I um… bet she'll miss you too and find any excuse to come back here to see you!" Nigel said, hoping that would cheer him up.

"You'd better….oh my God, what the hell was that!?" Preston shouted, as a huge crashing noise came from outside in the garden and Nigel threw his arms around his head.

"Don't move Podge" Preston said, rushing towards the window "Damn it! It looks like a couple of photographers were trying to move the wooden bench and somehow smashed it into the greenhouse!"

"Th…that was mum's bench!...The beasts!" Nigel squeaked, realising by the sad look on his brother's face that he was aware of that!

"Don't worry Podge….I'm sure that Nathan will be able to repair it….ah…looks like he's in the garden now trying to get rid of those idiots! Um….you stay there; I'd better go and help him….there's probably a lot of broken glass on the ground" Preston said, rushing out the door.

Nigel watched his brother leave and, having pulled the duvet up to his neck, he began to think about how much he loved Sydney and how, in a few weeks' time, he'd be ready to start a new phase of his life with the woman he loved more than life itself!


	2. Chapter 2

**REMINDERS**

 **Nigel and Preston both inherited a house in the Cotswolds; Derek had a brother called David, who died in a fire and looked a lot like Nigel; Nigel and Derek are like brothers now; which makes Preston feel a bit jealous at times; Nigel rescued some very young twins boys who'd been kidnapped by Ferreira's gang.**

 **In Relic Hunter (Incognito) Nigel cut himself with a lancet, which gave him incredible strength.**

 **CHAPTER 2**

Nathan and Preston were both furious with the two photographers who'd damaged the bench and greenhouse, although without using physical violence, there was little they could do about it, but shout!

Fearing that the two men might get hurt, and because the noise was disturbing her sleep, one of the neighbours tried to help by calling the police. Having already been there earlier that evening, they were quick to respond and immediately frog marched the two photographers off the property; much to Preston's relief.

"Do you want them arrested Sir?" a young policeman asked, noticing the broken bench and damaged greenhouse.

"No…I haven't got the time to deal with that now…just do what you can to keep them away please" Preston said, picking up a few more pieces of glass.

"Actually Sir, I wish we could drag them all off to jail….they're so disruptive…but the fact is, all we can do is try to keep them off your property…we can't prevent them from taking photos by climbing trees or standing on walls….although we try!….The trouble is, they've all got huge zoom lenses and the fact is, they probably broke that glass to try and force you to come outside!...I'm afraid there'll be photos of you in all of the papers tomorrow" the policeman said, feeling just as frustrated as Preston.

"Well we plan on leaving the country tomorrow; although I still have to make the arrangements" Preston said, feeling even more determined to get away from London.

"That's a very good idea Sir.…we'll keep an eye on your property for you….even if this lot of hooligans move on when you've left" the young officer said, realising the enormous house and grounds would be very vulnerable if it was left with minimal staff; or completely unoccupied.

"Well thank you….I'd appreciate that" Preston said, walking back to the house with Nathan.

Immediately they got back inside Preston rushed into the library and called Gerard who, under the circumstances, was very happy to fly them out of the country the very next day.

Feeling more relaxed, now that that was organised, Preston began chatting with Cate, Derek and also Sydney, who'd already been to bed once although, like the neighbour, had been woken by the commotion outside and had come back downstairs.

"I can't wait to get away from all that noise Preston" Sydney said, wishing she could go outside and kick a few butts!

"Me too…but actually I'm really looking forward to having a break now…it's been a while since I've had one….and Gerard's taking us somewhere rather special" Preston said, suddenly feeling quite nostalgic "ah…I remember a glorious holiday I had on the island…before Nigel was born….everything about it was perfect, especially the house…it belongs to Kirk Brown, who's now a friend and business associate of Gerard's and mine…..there'll be no problem with us renting it for a couple of weeks as, in fact, it's available for at least three months."

"So which Island is this beautiful house on Preston?…It sounds wonderful" Sydney said, hoping it was in the Caribbean.

"Oh I should have said…it's Malta….you probably know it's in the Mediterranean" Preston said, suddenly noticing Sydney looked a little surprised "Um…is something wrong?"

"Well yes there is! You want us to go to Malta!" Sydney uncharacteristically shrieked.

"Oh!" Preston said, looking totally confused by her reaction "It…it really is v…very nice there Sydney."

"I know that Preston! But Malta's where Nigel was captured by the Gural Nataz!….I told you about it in Brazil! Remember!?" Sydney yelled in frustration "Preston I know you were sceptical about that lancet...but surely you believed what I said about the Gural Nataz being a sadistic gang of murderers and thieves!"

"Oh God! I am so so sorry Sydney! Of course I remember.…I just stupidly forgot where it happened!" Preston said; feeling quite horrified "damn it! I'll have to cancel…there's no point taking you there if you might be in danger!"

"Preston" Cate butted in "look the Gural Nataz often move completely away from the vicinity once they've been discovered….so it might be OK….I personally arrested a lot of them while I was there with Nigel….although I must admit….. quite a few got away. Look….just to be on the safe side, let me contact Interpol right now…..I'll get them to check the computer records for any recent sightings….don't do anything just yet….let me speak to my boss, OK?"

"Well OK, but will it take long Cate? Gerard's probably filing a flight plan as we speak" Preston said, feeling very on edge.

"No…it''ll be quick…Interpol always keep an eye out for Gural Nataz activity….just wait there a minute Preston….let me make that call" Cate said as she walked out to the hallway to use the phone.

Ten minutes later she came back in with a big smile on her face "Good news guys…they've not been seen on Malta for over 12 months….although I warn you….they've been spotted on Sicily, which isn't that far away…but hey….even if one or two of them are still there, it's unlikely you'll run into them, even on such a small island….I'd say the worst that'll happen on Malta is that Nigel will get sunburnt!"

"On my goodness…thank you so much Cate, that's excellent news…..I've no idea where we'd go if I had to cancel….oh I almost forgot….I left Nigel feeling a little unsettled by those lunatics outside…I'd better just check he's OK" Preston said, hoping that Nigel would be asleep.

Having run up the stairs, he returned to Nigel's room where he discovered his brother was in the bathroom "ouch!" Preston heard him yell "ouch, ouch ouch!"

"Are you alright in there Podge?" Preston called through the door.

"Yes!...I'll be out in a minute!" Nigel called back; sounding rather annoyed.

Preston sat down on the bed and stared at the bathroom door. He knew Nigel could be a little clumsy, at times; but those "ouches" sounded like he'd really hurt himself.

Having waited anxiously for about five minutes, Preston watched as Nigel slowly opened the door, and stepped into the bedroom.

"Oh my God Podge! What have you done!?" Preston shouted, noticing his brother's hand wrapped in a large white towel; which was covered in blood!

"Um…it's n…nothing…..those damn photographers just broke my window with a stone…..I cut my hand trying to clear up the glass….I'm sorry Pres but I got blood on the carpet…..and um….a lot of camera flashes went off while I was by the window."

"Damn it Podge….never mind that…..let me look at your hand! Why on earth didn't you call someone!?"

"Oh it's alright….it's just a little scratch really" Nigel said, pulling his hand away from his brother.

"Let me see that now!" Preston shouted, believing Nigel must have lost a lot of blood; bearing in mind the state of the towel.

Nigel looked at his brother and then held out his hand "it's almost stopped bleeding now" he said, as Preston gently removed the towel and blood oozed out of the wound.

"Mrs Jackson!...Mrs Jackson! Can you come to Nigel's room please….quickly!" Preston yelled, as he dabbed the towel on the cut.

Having heard the urgency in Preston's voice, the elderly lady rushed in, followed by Nathan; who'd been changing a light bulb on the landing.

"What is it…what's happened!?" Mrs Jackson asked "Oh my gosh…sweetheart… what have you done!?"

"It's just a little cut nana….no big deal" Nigel said, going on to explain how he did it, while she examined the wound.

"There's nothing little about that!...I think you're going to need a couple of stitches sweetheart…it's quite deep" she said, noticing he winced at the slightest movement.

"No nana, it's nothing like as bad as it looks!...It'll stop bleeding in a few minutes…it just needs a bandage…honestly it'll be OK!" Nigel pleaded, dreading the very thought of going inside a hospital again.

The kind hearted lady looked at the cut again, as she understood exactly why Nigel was reluctant to get it checked out "well alright…we'll leave it for now…..but if the bleeding doesn't slow down soon….you're off to the hospital….is that understood young man?" she said, trying to look stern, but not succeeding.

"Oh alright nana….but it will be OK…it will!" Nigel said, trying to sound convincing; although he secretly wondered if she was right; because it was really painful.

"Nathan you know where the First Aid Kit is…would you mind fetching it for me please?" Mrs Jackson asked, pressing the towel on the wound once again.

"No problem" he replied, immediately rushing off to get it and returning very quickly.

"Once Mrs Jackson had everything she needed, she began cleaning the cut to ensure there was no glass left in it and to satisfy herself that it really was alright not to go to the hospital. While she was doing that Preston thought it would be a good opportunity to tell her and Nathan about the holiday, as he hoped they'd want to come; bearing in mind it was a relatively short flight. However, he obviously didn't want Nigel to freak out about their destination, in front of them, as he might have to reveal what had previously happened to him; which would greatly upset them both.

Therefore, having initially done a bit of a sales pitch, without mentioning the name of the Island, he took a deep breath, smiled and looked at his brother "Oh by the way…the house is on Malta…in a secluded and very safe place" he said, nodding and secretly trying to let Nigel see, by his expression and demeanour, that he'd carefully considered its location.

"No!...I..I….um don't want to go to Malta Pres" Nigel said, realising, just a little too late, what his brother was trying to tell him by his odd behaviour!

"What's the matter sweetheart? Malta's a lovely place" Mrs Jackson said, noticing how anxious Nigel looked.

"Oh um…I…I know that nana but um….I….I went there a couple of years ago with Sydney…and…and….I had my wallet stolen from my hotel room…um while I was in the bathroom!….Um you remember Preston….I…I told you about that?" Nigel said, realising now that Preston would understand why he was lying and would, hopefully, back him up.

"Oh yes you….you did Podge….but you'll be staying in a house this time so you've nothing to worry about" Preston said, noticing Mrs Jackson looked suspicious although, like Nigel, he felt that that was better than looking horrified! "Oh it really was nothing serious….thefts like that can happen anywhere….and he was perfectly fine."

"Well….alright…if you're sure that's all it was….but please don't keep hiding things like that from me boys" Mrs Jackson said, wagging her finger at them.

"I won't" Preston said, crossing his fingers as he bent down to hug his worried looking brother "Cate's checked the island's Gural Nataz free" he whispered in Nigel's ear!

"Oh!" Nigel said; cocking his head to one side as he guiltily turned to Mrs Jackson "m…me…neither nana."

"Right then…what about the holiday" Preston said, feeling the need to get off the subject of their little white lie "now, obviously, I can't force any of you to come, but it won't be safe to stay in this house….so if any of you decide against it, you'll have to stay at one of the houses in the Cotswolds.…I'm sure Cate can arrange for a couple of agents to secretly drive you to mine or Nigel's house; but you'll definitely be better off on Malta."

"Um….I'm sure Malta won't be any worse than it is here Pres… so um…I'll come…. that is…um…as long as you haven't changed your mind about me and Syd….you know."

"I haven't Podge…I'll stick by what I said" Preston replied, ignoring the inquisitive look that Mrs Jackson was giving them.

"I'd certainly like to come too" Nathan said, realising he'd have to sort out a few things before they left "I'll have to ring the gardeners and Joe, the handyman…I'm sure they'll be delighted to have a break though….oh as long as you're still paying them Preston."

"Of course I am Nathan….I'm so glad you want to come" Preston said, turning away from him to face Mrs Jackson again.

"You know I think I'd like to come too Preston…..especially as you're going with Gerard….flying in his private plane is always a pleasure…and hassle free….so thank you, I'm sure it'll be lovely…actually I think Nigel will need me there to change his bandage anyway."

"Oh nana….don't fuss" Nigel said, thinking how much he loved her.

"Sweetheart you know I can't help it" she said, kissing him on the top of his head "now, as late as it is, I think I'd better call the housekeeping staff and explain things to them...keep your hand still Nigel…or it'll start bleeding again."

"OK" Nigel said, giving her a big smile as she left the room.

"Podge….I guess I'd better do your packing for you….we've got to leave by about 7 tomorrow morning….I was actually just going to get you up early to do it...but with that hand you won't be able to….I can do mine later….or in the morning" Preston said, getting up off the chair and turning around to the wardrobe.

Just then, much to Nigel's surprise, Derek walked in looking quite sad "Hey buddy…I've just come to say goodbye" he said, noticing how tired Nigel looked.

"I was just going to do his packing Derek…do you mind leaving it until the morning…he needs his sleep?" Preston said, feeling a little guilty as he realised that Nigel had hardly spent any time with his friend while he'd been in London.

"Actually Preston…let me do that for him….you can get your own stuff done and Nigel and I can have a bit of a catch up" Derek said, hoping Preston wouldn't mind.

"Oh um….well that's very kind of you…thank you Derek" Preston said, feeling genuinely grateful "is um….that alright with you Podge?"

"Yes…actually that'll be great Pres" Nigel said, holding back a yawn "thanks for the offer though….you go and get your packing done and I'll see you in the morning."

"OK….goodnight then….oh….try not to forget anything Podge…they don't have a Harrods on Malta" Preston said as he got up and left.

Nigel laughed at his brother's comment although when Derek sat down and he saw how serious the agent looked, he soon stopped smiling.

"Now Buddy….don't you go falling out of any trees; or in any potholes on Malta!" Derek said, cracking a smile, while thinking how much he'd miss Nigel being around.

"I won't Derek….but don't you go shooting anyone either, you ruffian!" Nigel replied, looking fondly at his friend "look Derek…..I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to do stuff together while you've been here...I know I should have made more of an effort."

"Hey…don't be silly kiddo; I understand…..you've been in such a horrible situation the entire time I've been here…but actually….why I really wanted to get you alone is to tell you how brilliantly I thought you did in court…I'm so proud of you."

"Th…thanks Derek…I…I was actually terrified….but I…I had to speak out about what those thugs did to the twins and all those other children…and…and about what you suffered too…but I absolutely couldn't have done it without you, Syd, and Preston being there for me and…and obviously, Nancy" Nigel said, trying not to think about the details.

"Buddy…it was your own inner strength that made you do that…yes…we were there to give your moral support….but no matter what…..I know you'd still have revealed those terrible things….you knew how important it was to be strong for those kids and ensure those brutes were put away for life….but Nigel….the thing is….not many men would have been able to divulge the kind of horrors that were inflicted on you by that witch! But you did kiddo….you did" Derek said, realising then, by the look on Nigel's face, that he'd better quickly change the subject as his praise was, unfortunately, unsettling him "I guess I better get your clothes sorted now Bud…you need to get some rest."

"Derek I can do it….or at least let me help" Nigel said, hoping there'd be no more talk about what happened in court as he attempted to get out of bed.

"Get back in there!...Just tell me what you want to take and I'll get it for you…I've had plenty of bandaged hands….I know how difficult it is trying to do stuff!" Derek said, pressing lightly on Nigel's shoulders to prevent him getting up.

"Oh…um…OK" Nigel said, immediately realising Derek was right, as his hand was still hurting and Mrs Jackson had deliberately bandaged it so that he couldn't bend his fingers.

"Right now….what do you want to take Kiddo?" Derek asked, his eyes almost popping out of his head as he opened the wardrobe and saw at least a dozen designer suits and other expensive clothing neatly hung up and on shelves.

"Well um…Preston said we're going for about two weeks…and he'll probably insist we dress for dinner….even if we're on holiday" Nigel said, explaining then what he'd need for that purpose, which was a lot!

"Bud….I'd no idea you had so much stuff!" Derek said, as he removed a couple of suits and several other items from the wardrobe and placed them on the bed.

"I didn't when I was in America….it's just….well…Preston's very particular about how we behave and dress…it's well…..because of the way he…well both of us really…were brought up…..I rather rebelled against that way of life when I started working with Syd….and I guess you remember me constantly complaining about Preston" Nigel said, as Derek took out five beautiful shirts and a couple of very smart silk ties from the wardrobe and placed them on a chair.

"I remember kiddo…you didn't like him telling you what to do, how to behave or dress….but you seem totally OK with that now. Hey! Don't you go expecting me to dress up when we go out…..just because you like to now!" Derek said; laughing at his young friend who he could see was feeling sleepy.

"I won't….we'll both wear whatever we feel comfortable in" Nigel said, noticing Derek gave him a rather odd look "Um….better get back to packing now Derek….before I fall asleep."

"Yeah better had Bud…..you need all the beauty sleep you can get with an ugly mug like that!" Derek said, laughing again, although he was secretly wondering if Nigel might start feeling a bit out of place again when he returned to America.

Nigel laughed too and, unsuccessfully, tried hold back a yawn "OK…OK, no more joking…now…what else do I need to take….oh yes….a pair of jeans…Preston hates them….he thinks they're scruffy….but I bought some anyway….he was so cross with me until I told him they came from Harrods. He tolerates them now….well…you know….as long as I don't wear them to dinner!" Nigel said, trying to laugh as he yawned again and watched Derek take out the jeans and drape them over the back of a chair.

"OK kiddo…if that's all, tell me where you keep your suitcases" Derek said, realising he'd placed such a lot of clothes on the bed and chairs, the room looked a mess.

"Um…..in that big cupboard on the landing….there might be several sets in there….but mine are blue…with black and gold handles" Nigel said, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Right…I'll get them" Derek said, as he walked out the door without looking and bumped right into Cate! "Oh sorry….didn't see you there…are you on your way to bed?"

"Yes…we've an early start tomorrow….although, you know, it could be worse…at least we don't have to get to Heathrow or Gatwick….London City's much closer" Cate said, looking over Derek's shoulder to take a peek through Nigel's door "Preston told me what you're doing...do you want some help?"

"Hey….that would be great….he really needs to get some sleep….so the sooner it's done the better."

"Right then….where're the cases?" Cate asked, looking into Nigel's room again.

"They're in there" Derek replied, pointing to a huge solid oak cupboard "I'll get them…. you pop in to see Nigel."

Without saying another word Cate tapped on Nigel's door "hey sleepy head…I'm giving Derek a hand…hope you don't mind."

"Oh um…no…th….that's alright….um thanks" Nigel said, feeling a little embarrassed about the situation.

"You know Mrs Jackson's really worried about your hand….how is it now? Cate asked, noticing Nigel was blushing.

"It…it'll be fine Cate…she fusses too much" Nigel replied, turning his head away to hide his red face.

"Funny….you cut your arm before we went to Malta…remember?" Cate said, smiling a little as she looked at his bandaged hand and recalled how different Nigel was when he was helping her trap the Gural Nataz.

"Yes…but this cut isn't going to give me enormous strength like that one…although I suppose if the Gural Nataz won't be trying to kill me….it won't matter if I'm just weak little Nigel…will it Cate?"

"Hey! Stop putting yourself down like that…you're not weak, you're just a normal guy….although you've got more strength of mind than anyone I've ever known" Cate said, feeling a twinge of regret that she'd not realised what an amazing and wonderful person Nigel was before Sydney saw his potential!

"Um thanks Cate…I've had a lot of help."

"Well anyway….while you're away, you just forget about the trial…forget about Ferreira and have a lovely relaxing vacation….then you'll be ready to start a great new life…..with Sydney….you deserve some happiness Nigel, you really do" Cate said, sincerely as she looked at his handsome face.

Just at that moment Derek came back in with the cases, however, no matter how hard Nigel tried to stay alert, so that he could chat with the two agents, he simply couldn't and fell fast asleep while they were packing the last few things.

"Doesn't he look innocent when he's asleep Derek?" Cate whispered, as they were leaving the room.

"Yeah he does….actually, he looks even more like my brother, David, when he's sleeping peacefully like that" Derek replied, closing the door behind them.

"Derek….what do you actually think about Sydney and Nigel's future together?" Cate asked, looking very serious "do you think Nigel will be able to just go back to how things were….now they're a couple…especially as he's been leading a very different kind of life over here….and he's so wealthy?"

"I don't know Cate…but I hope so because he's totally in love with Syd….I guess, like me, you've noticed how comfortable and happy he is living with Preston in this amazing house."

"Yes I have…it's nothing like the way he lived back home…..did you see the quality of those suits and shirts?…..They must have cost a fortune…..in fact...thinking about it…he probably doesn't actually need to work anymore….I'm sure Sydney loves him…but I can't help thinking that their differences will either strengthen their relationship.…or they'll tear them apart" Cate said, giving Derek a concerned look "anyway…I've got to get some sleep…see you at 6 a.m.…night Derek."

"Night Cate" Derek said, feeling a little unsettled as he thought about Nigel.

 **Thanks to Beatrix and Maria for their lovely comments…I'd like to hear from others as well, please….thank you xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

**REMINDERS**

 **Sydney and Nigel had tried to make love at Auntie Alice's house, a while ago, which caused Nigel to have a serious panic attack.**

 **Nathan's nickname for Nigel is Einstein.**

 **CHAPTER 3**

The following morning, feeling totally relieved to be leaving the house; Preston, Nigel and Sydney, along with Mrs Jackson, Nathan and Cate quickly climbed into the limousine ready for the short drive to the airport. It had been decided during breakfast that, for security reasons, Derek should drive, while two other agents wait in their cars, a short distance down the road, ready to do what they could to prevent the press from following.

"Keep your head down Nigel" Cate shouted, as Derek carefully drove towards the front gate "in fact all of you keep down!"

"I'd like to put them down!" Sydney said, leaning forward and noticing Nigel was being protected by Mrs Jackson and Nathan who'd instinctively covered his head "we'll soon be at the airport Nige."

"Hold on tight guys!" Derek yelled, pushing the accelerator to the floor as he turned into the road.

"Luckily, although three reporters gave chase, the agents managed to swerve around and block off the road, thus preventing them from passing until the limo was gone!

Having reached the airport safely, everyone said their rather emotional goodbyes to Cate and Derek and then they made their way through passport control and onto the beautiful plane.

Nigel immediately sat down next to Sydney and leaned against her shoulder, hoping to get some sleep. The fact was, although he'd fallen asleep while Derek and Cate were packing his clothes; he'd only slept for a couple of hours as the noisy reporters outside, woke him up. The awful thing was, once he was awake, memories of what Maria did to him, what was said in court and a few other worrying things, flooded through his mind, preventing him from going back to sleep.

Although Nigel hadn't mentioned during breakfast that he'd had a bad night, everyone could see that he had, as he looked quite exhausted. However, Sydney believed that he'd sleep peacefully leaning against her on the plane, as he almost always did. Sadly though, she was wrong, as he kept twitching and mumbling something inaudible under his breath.

Once they'd landed, and completed the airport formalities, it took no time at all to get to the beautiful house where they planned to stay for at least two weeks. The house, which was not far from the capital city, Valetta, had some wonderful facilities, such as a swimming pool, Jacuzzi and tennis courts. It was situated in a secluded bay, with a private beach, where the owner, Kirk Brown, kept a speed boat and Jet Skies, specifically for the use of his guests.

Bearing in mind the property belonged to a millionaire, it came with a housekeeper, cook and chauffeur, which meant not only would Preston, Nigel and Sydney have a restful time, but Nathan and Mrs Jackson would too; as long as the brothers could prevent them from helping out!

The moment they entered the house Nigel indicated, with a wave, that Preston should follow him through the patio doors that he'd spotted on the other side of the hall "What's the matter Podge?…You look so worried" Preston said, looking into Nigel's eyes and pushing the hair back off his face with his fingers.

"I…I am a bit Pres" Nigel replied, as he held onto the balcony rails and looked down at the beach "I'm just….well…I'm wondering what nana will think about me and Sydney sharing a bedroom."

"Oh! Well um….actually…I doubt she'll be pleased…I'm not too happy about it myself really…like I said before, I'm worried you're rushing into something you're not ready for" Preston said, putting his arm over his brother's shoulders "have you actually spoken to Sydney about it yet?"

"N….no, not yet" Nigel said, looking at the floor.

"What is it Podge? Are you having second thoughts?" Preston asked, just as Sydney walked up behind them.

"Hey what are you two up to? You look very serious" Sydney said; noticing the two of them gave her a surprised look "can we sort out the sleeping arrangements please Preston?…I can't wait to get changed and go down to that beach!"

"Oh yes, of course" Preston said, looking a little embarrassed "the house has seven bedrooms, so have a look around and choose whichever one you want… they all have double or twin beds and private bathrooms; so it doesn't really matter."

"Oh great….thanks Preston…..coming Nige?" Sydney said, giving him a wink as she took hold of his un-bandaged hand "come and help me choose."

Nigel smiled nervously and allowed himself to be dragged towards the stairs.

"You know Nige, we could actually share a room now we're on vacation….you'll be more at ease than you were yesterday…..so we could….you know…let nature take its course this time!" Sydney said, looking sexily into Nigel's eyes.

"I…I really want to Syd…in….in fact yesterday I asked Preston if he'd um…mind us doing that" Nigel said, feeling very self-conscious "b…but….."

"Really! What did he say?" she asked, before he could finish his sentence.

"He...he was OK about it….but…I...I'm not…not so um….sure about it n…now…I'm um worried how nana will react to us sl.…sleeping together" Nigel said, looking away from her.

"Sweetie….are you sure you're worried about Mrs Jackson's reaction?...Or is it you've just completely changed your mind?"

"Oh God!...Syd!…I don't know…..y…yesterday I…I really thought I'd be OK….I..I wanted to be with you so much...and I still do!…B…but last night I couldn't sleep and…and…what happened at Auntie Alice's house kept flooding through my mind."

"Oh Sweetie…I understand" Sydney said, suddenly feeling quite sorry for him but she realised too, that's why he looked so tired.

"Syd….I just couldn't bear having another setback like that…I really couldn't…I don't want to cringe when you touch me because I imagine it's Maria…I want to enjoy you touching me…and...and I want to be able to respond like any other man would!" Nigel said, looking quite anxious.

"Oh Nige…it's OK" Sydney said, looking lovingly into his eyes as they both blinked back the tears "just tell me what can I do to help you get through this…whatever it is…I'll do it."

"I…I j…just need to get used to you sleeping next to me again...you know….like we used to on hunts…..is th…that….OK?" Nigel asked, giving her a very pained look.

"Of course it is Nige….we can just talk and fall asleep together…just like we used to" Sydney said, suddenly looking quite thoughtful "but you know Sweetie….you're always just fine when we cuddle in the car, or in your living room….so you must be relatively OK being with me…..and you were close to responding like any other man would yesterday!"

"Oh….um….yes I know" Nigel replied, blushing from head to toe.

"I suppose the difference is that we're both fully clothed on those occasions so, psychologically, you feel safe" Sydney said, trying to remember how Nancy had described Nigel's complex problems to her "look Sweetie…don't worry…..I promise I won't touch you in bed….well unless you make it clear you want me to….I'll just let you make the first move…alright?"

Nigel smiled at her and nodded; although he didn't say a word.

Feeling quite happy to share a bed the way that Nigel needed, Sydney moved along the corridor to check out the rooms "Hey!…This one's gorgeous and it looks out over the sea."

"Um yes….th.…that's really nice Syd….um look….thanks for being so considerate and patient….I...I'm sorry I'm being such a pain….but I'll be OK soon…I know I will" Nigel said, stepping through the door of the huge bedroom.

"I know you will too Nige…it's just a matter of you coming to terms with things and getting your confidence back….I think that sharing a bed with me is your first serious step though" Sydney said, noticing Nigel looked slightly worried again.

"Syd….it is a big step and….and I want to take it….but you know…..I do actually think nana will be upset about it.…although she'll eventually understand….I um….think" Nigel said, taking Sydney into his arms and kissing her cheek "I'll get the bags….you stay there…..I'll be right back."

That evening, although Mrs Jackson gave Nigel and Sydney a disapproving look as they kissed her goodnight and went to bed, she wasn't as upset as Nigel thought she'd be. The fact was, unbeknown to him, his older brother had talked to her about the situation and he'd eventually convinced her to accept it. Much to Preston's surprise, she then admitted that she knew Nigel needed more than the kind of love they could give him, and agreed not to make a fuss; not only to please Preston but because she liked and trusted Sydney!

Sydney kept her promise to Nigel that night and let him lie next to her without initiating so much as a cuddle. Of course, as the bed was enormous it made it relatively easy to keep her distance, although she truly wanted to, at least, hold him. Realising then that she should simply relax and enjoy the comfortable bed, she turned away from him and soon fell asleep.

The following morning, however, she woke up first and realised, to her great joy, that Nigel had his arm hung over her waist; although, sadly, he was still fast asleep. Despite the fact that she was delighted he'd done that, rather than wake him, she simply slipped out of bed and went straight into the bathroom. 15 minutes later, having showered and put on some make up, she returned to the bedroom to find Nigel standing on the balcony wearing his silk dressing gown "hey Nige…sleep well?" she asked, noticing he looked extra handsome standing in the sunlight.

"Yes I did….just like a baby….not felt this refreshed in months! Did you?" he asked, stepping forward and taking her into his arms.

"Yeah I did" she said, looking deep into his eyes.

Right at that moment, much to their annoyance, there was a knock at the door "Einstein…Sydney, breakfast's ready" Nathan called out, forgetting he could be interrupting something!

"Oh…um…..g….give us a few minutes….I need a quick shower" Nigel called back "is…is it OK to come down in our dressing gowns Nathan?"

"Yes…of course it is…..none of us are dressed yet" Nathan said, suddenly realising then that the young couple might have been up to something! "Oh but…but there's no real hurry Einstein!...Take your time!"

Nigel smiled shyly at Sydney and rushed into the bathroom where he placed a plastic bag over his bandaged hand and tucked it in at the top to help keep it dry while he showered. Not wanting to keep everyone waiting, he managed to shower, wash his hair, shave and put his silk dressing gown back on, all in the space of 15 minutes. However, there was no way he could dry his thick mop of hair quickly, so he decided he'd merely combe it back off his face and let it dry naturally.

It was then that he realised how awkward he was going to feel facing his 'family' that morning, as sleeping with a woman, as innocent as it was at the moment, wasn't something he'd normally do under their roof. He, therefore, asked Sydney if she'd mind going down first, as things like that rarely fazed her. Of course, she understood how he felt and happily did that for him; although, much to her relief, everyone behaved like it was a normal day and made no mention of their behaviour.

The weather on Malta was amazing and even though it was very hot, there was a slight breeze that morning, which made if feel quite comfortable.

Naturally, wanting to make the most of their time on the island, Preston had checked out an on line holiday site which specialised in excursions on Malta.

Having gotten some really good ideas, he'd planned several trips that he hoped everyone, especially Nigel, would appreciate and enjoy. The first of those was to the Blue Grotto sea cave, which is on the southwestern part of the island. They all thoroughly enjoyed the short boat ride to the grotto where, once inside, they noticed how a combination of sunlight and crystal clear waters reflected various shades of blue around the walls; which was, obviously, how the cave got its name.

As the sea was particularly calm that day, Nigel was relieved not to be seasick, like he'd expected he would. However, because his hand was bandaged, he was unable to swim in the warm sea like Preston, Nathan and Sydney. Of course, he didn't really mind staying in the boat as he rather wanted some private time with Mrs Jackson.

"Nana….you're not cross with me, are you?" he asked, noticing the elderly lady was watching him closely.

"No Sweetheart, not really….just a little surprised at what you did last night….but I know you love Sydney and that neither of you are taking the matter lightly" she said, smiling at the young man.

"We're not nana" he replied, remembering how protective of him she was "actually Sydney's having to be very patient with me right now."

"In what way darling?" she asked, taking a tissue out of her pocket to wipe the sweat off his face.

He looked a little embarrassed "well….I….I'm not used to being in a romantic relationship with her….and….and….obviously….I'm still a bit shaken up by the trial so….I…..I'm not quite myself….um yet."

"I see" she said, smiling at Nigel, who she totally adored "I'm sure Sydney will always be patient and caring towards you….and you'll always care about her…..she has a good heart Nigel….and so do you."

"I know nana….I think we're soulmates" Nigel said, moving closer to the elderly lady to give her a much needed hug while they waited in the boat for the others.

Once they'd finished their visit to the cave, Preston found a nice restaurant in the vicinity to have lunch and then, having taken a short walk over the cliff tops, they returned to the house for a rest.

Obviously, one of the best places to relax at the house was by the pool, which was where Preston, Nathan and Mrs Jackson spent the rest of the afternoon. Sydney and Nigel, however, feeling the need to be alone, went down to the beach for some privacy.

Remembering then that Nigel burnt very easily, Sydney offered to rub some sun screen on his back, although she was very aware that touching him could potentially freak him out. However, having been burnt several times in the past, and being totally unable to reach over his shoulders with a bandaged hand, he decided to let her do it, as long as she promised not to tickle him!

Feeling delighted that Nigel was allowing her to touch his half naked body; she began to gently smooth the lotion over his back, being very careful not to go too low, or to press too hard. Once she'd done that, Nigel shyly offered to do the same for her, which she found quite a turn on when his soft hands slid around the back of her neck and over her shoulders. Happily though, having noticed his reactions, it was obvious that he felt the same; which pleased her even more! Naturally, even though this was a private beach, neither of them let their feelings go too far, although Sydney was convinced Nigel was well on the way to making the 'first move!'

That night, the young couple slept much as they did the previous one, except that this time Sydney was actually woken up by Nigel stretching his arm over her waist again. At first she was very excited but, unfortunately, she soon realised he was, once again, asleep and was totally unaware of what he was doing! Making the best of it, she began to imagine how wonderful it would be when they finally got to make love and started living a normal life together. Eventually, however, having kept as still as possible for quite a while, she managed to drift off to sleep again.

The following morning, having had the most amazing dream about Nigel asking for her hand in marriage, Sydney awoke to find he was still holding her but, sadly, like before, he was still fast asleep! She considered waking him this time with a huge kiss, but thought better of it when she remembered her promise and simply slipped out of bed like she'd previously done.

While she was showering she tried really hard not to think about Nigel, which was a little frustrating when he was in the next room, looking so handsome!

Deciding then to focus on herself, she suddenly remembered that she'd only packed one bikini for her trip to England which, of course, meant she now needed some more. She'd already realised too, when she was unpacking, that she only had smart clothes with her, as that's all she needed in London.

Feeling a little irritated that she had all the wrong things, she made up her mind to buy some sun dresses and bikinis today, to ensure she was comfortable for the rest of the trip.

Having finished her hair and make-up she came back into the bedroom and, once again, found Nigel on the balcony "morning Sweetie…..I can see you're enjoying this wonderful weather" she said, as she put on some hip hugging trousers and a rather sexy top.

"Yes I am….I think it's doing me good….we just don't get enough sun in England" he replied "oh you look….um lovely….is that blouse new?"

"Actually it is…but it's far more suitable for special occasions….the thing is Nige…. I've got almost nothing to wear in this kind of heat, so I have to wear this….I'm going shopping to get some summer clothes, right now, or I'll die of heatstroke!...Hey…why don't you can come with me….we can make a day of it" she said, noticing Nigel looked a little uneasy.

"Oh…..um do you mind if I don't Syd? Preston told me last night that he's got something really special and interesting planned for today, so um….you might want to reconsider and go tomorrow" Nigel said, looking quite hopeful.

"Nige we've got at least two weeks here and it's so hot…I just feel like stripping off" she said, looking at him seductively, believing he'd follow her when she moved towards the door.

Nigel's heart began to beat faster "Oh…um yes….but…but shopping….shopping is horrible in this heat….so I'd rather not Syd" he said, noticing she turned the handle of the door "oh oh….um…do I still get a kiss before you leave?"

"Well….I'm not sure you deserve one" she said, pretending to be offended that he wasn't coming with her, although she was a little disappointed.

Nigel stretched out his arms "come here you gorgeous woman!" he said, laughing as she leapt forward to kiss him.

"My God you kiss so wonderfully" she said, moving in to kiss him again.

"Y…you do too Syd….you know I wish you'd come with us….hey…hang on a minute!…..How are you getting to Valetta? Have you ordered a taxi?"

"I can take the local bus….it's stops just down the road" she replied, noticing Nigel looked surprised "hey I miss that kind of thing Nige…it'll be an adventure…..don't look so worried….this is Malta not the Carpathian Mountains! I'll be fine!"

"Well…be careful anyway…um…I…I can't wait to see you in your new um….things" Nigel said, blushing a little at the thought of it!

"Can't wait to show you!" she said as she kissed him gently on the lips "I'll be careful Sweetie….but you make sure you put on plenty of sunscreen….see you later."

"Bye Syd" he said, as he watched her leave.

Just for a second though he almost changed his mind, but before he could take one more step, he heard Preston coming out of his bedroom. Realising then that, as much as Sydney would like him with her, she was totally happy shopping alone; whereas his brother would be upset if he didn't take part in whatever he'd planned for today.

"Are you almost ready to go Podge?" Preston asked, as he walked through the open door "you need to have breakfast quite quickly….we've got a bit of a journey today."

"Oh….yes Pres…I'm more or less ready….I used the spare shower next door while Syd was using ours….but um….Syd's not coming with us today, she needs some things from the shops…she literally just left a second ago" Nigel said, hoping his brother wasn't offended by that.

"Oh yes I saw the back of her as she went downstairs….everything's OK between you two though….isn't it?" Preston asked, looking quite serious.

"Oh yes….everything's fine….it's just so hot here….and she wasn't able to buy anything before we left England" Nigel said, noticing Preston was nodding and didn't seem upset.

"Right then….um….let's get you some breakfast….we have to leave in fifteen minutes" Preston said, as they walked along the corridor towards the stairs.

"I'll just grab a slice of toast and take a banana with me" Nigel said, immediately noticing his brother gave him a disapproving look.

"Oh no…you can have that for breakfast if you like; but you need to sit at the table….you know how bad it is for you, eating on the go….you get sick really easily" Preston said, just as they reached the bottom of the stairs and walked into the enormous kitchen.

Nigel did as he was told, because Preston was right, he'd suffered stomach upsets and painful indigestion quite a bit since he came back from Rio and, naturally, he didn't want to spoil things for everyone else by becoming unwell.

As soon as Nigel finished his breakfast he got into the limo and sat next to Mrs Jackson "morning nana…Nathan….Doug….sorry to keep you waiting."

"That's alright sweetheart…Oh I just saw Sydney….she told me she needs some things from the shops….so that means I'll get extra hugs from you today" Mrs Jackson said, as she accepted a kiss on the cheek and allowed Nigel to lean on her shoulder.

"Right Doug, let's get the show on the road then" Preston said, smiling at the driver and then at Nigel, who was dying to know where they were going.

Having kept a lookout for road signs, it wasn't too long before Nigel guessed their destination "hey Pres….were going to Gozo, aren't we! That's great…there's so much history on that little island" he said, looking totally delighted.

"That's exactly where we're going Podge…I knew you'd be excited" Preston replied, feeling so pleased he'd chosen somewhere that met with Nigel's approval "in about twenty minutes we'll board the ferry and we'll soon be there."

Having driven onto the ferry they immediately took the lift up to the top deck, where Doug had arranged for them to have coffee and cake, which made the short ferry ride extra enjoyable; especially as the sea was quite calm.

Immediately they reached Gozo, Doug drove them to The Citadel, which is perched on top of a hill overlooking the city of Victoria. Nigel loved it, but he managed to annoy a couple of the guides by asking too many questions about the building and the treasures on display. Eventually, however, Preston managed to drag him away so that they could get some lunch!

Having ordered a wonderful seafood meal, Nathan gazed through the window of the air-conditioned restaurant and looked around "is there anywhere else that's interesting to see?" he asked, hoping there was.

"Well I'm sure Podge knows Nathan; I saw him reading about Gozo yesterday" Preston replied, enjoying watching Nigel looking so happy.

"Yes I do….The Basilica of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu" Nigel said, with delight in his voice "supposedly miracles happen there….you know, crippled people walk again….and the blind regain their sight…..stuff like that."

"Well Podge….perhaps that cut of yours will heal up when we've been there!" Preston said, looking at Nigel's hand.

"Yes sweetheart" Mrs Jackson said "last night it looked quite sore… I think if it's no better by tomorrow, I'll take you to the doctors in Valetta."

"Oh God, you two make such a fuss, it's just a cut, it'll heal in its own good time; I've had much worse than this!" Nigel replied, faking annoyance; as he was a little concerned himself.

Having finished their lunch, Doug drove them to the Basilica, which was also perched on a hill and had wonderful panoramic views of the island.

As soon as they walked into the building they noticed how breathtakingly beautiful the interior of the church was. The brothers particularly loved the flower-shaped stain glass window, which they spent quite some time looking at; as well as the beautiful paintings and the altar. However, Mrs Jackson and Nathan were getting rather tired by now and, having had a quick look around the main part of the church, they sat down to rest.

As Nigel had experienced many strange things during his time as a relic hunter, he wanted to find out more about the miracles connected with the church. Therefore, having told Preston he wanted to explore a bit on his own, he wandered off to check out the rest of the church.

Finding a couple of rooms tucked away at the back, he strolled inside and saw, just as described in his book, that the walls were covered from floor to ceiling with glass display cabinets. Having read what they were supposed to contain, he began inspecting them, one by one and, sure enough, they were filled with wheelchairs, crutches, walking sticks and all manner of other things used by the sick and disabled! Alongside those objects were some notes which were supposedly written by people who'd, since visiting the church, found they no longer needed those aids! There were even notes stating that God had cured them of cancer and other horrible illnesses, which Nigel found rather fascinating, although he was, naturally, a bit sceptical.

Looking at his hand he smiled and thought to himself 'well I doubt you're going to miraculously heal up; but I wish you would!'

Returning to the main church he looked around for Preston, as he wanted to ask him to come and see the special rooms. However, being unable to find him; or anyone else who'd been with him earlier, he wandered outside and stood behind a waist high wall that surrounded the church grounds.

Having enjoyed the views as he waited outside, he began to wonder why no one else had come outside yet, as he believed that at least Mrs Jackson and Nathan would have seen enough by now. However, just as he was about to go back inside, he suddenly remembered something that Mrs Jackson had said to him, just prior to entering the church. Being quite religious, and loving him so much, she'd said she was going to pray to God to keep him safe when they returns to America….this being a church where God seemed to listen! Of course, had he not gone off on his own, he'd have probably been asked to join her, Nathan and Preston, in one of the little chapels tucked away inside the church.

Feeling a little too hot, he decided to wait inside the air-conditioned car with Doug, who'd been waiting patiently in the vehicle since they arrived. Having sat there quietly for a few minutes, he was just about to strike up a conversation with the friendly chauffeur when, suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a woman he thought he knew. Believing, at first, he was probably mistaken, he took a second look and, to his utter horror, it struck him where he'd seen her before….it was with the Gural Nataz!

Ducking down a little, just in case she recognised him, Nigel noticed the woman was struggling to carry a large, flat box and was heading towards a rocky pathway which led down to a village. The village, which he'd noticed while he was standing by the wall, looked rather rundown and the few people that he'd seen looked very poor indeed. Initially he began to panic, because she was getting away, but then, believing the woman hadn't seen him and couldn't be going any further than the village, he rashly decided to follow her!

Immediately wishing Sydney was with him, he nervously told Doug he wouldn't be long and made his way to the entrance of the pathway. Tripping over a couple of rocks, yet keeping the woman in sight, he reached a group of tumble down shacks which were obviously the homes of the people he'd seen. He ducked down, so he'd not be noticed and saw that the people living in the shacks totally ignored the woman; even though she looked completely out of place.

Hiding behind a large tree he watched the woman enter one of the huts; which appeared to be connected to a large rock formation jutting out from a cliff. Although he felt really nervous, he decided to peek inside, where, to his surprise, he discovered it wasn't a home at all, but something placed there to disguise the entrance of a cave, where the woman must have gone!

His heart began beating really fast as he stood there considering whether or not to run, or go inside the cave. However, just as he'd decided to run, the woman he'd been following came out of the cave and saw him!

 **PLEASE REVIEW, OR CLICK INTO ONE OF THE BOXES; THANK YOU.**

 **Thanks to Beatrix for reviewing the chapter 2.**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

"Bailey! Nigel Bailey! What the hell!" the woman yelled, looking at him with evil eyes.

Nigel tried to keep calm, which was difficult when his heart was beating a mile a minute. However, having expected the woman to lung at him, he was amazed to see her suddenly look terrified and back away!

For a second he was baffled by her reaction, but then he realised what was wrong; she was staring at his bandaged hand! Oh God, he thought….she thinks I've cut myself with the lancet and I'm incredibly strong! Doing his best to appear confident, bearing in mind he was alone, he tried to recall how he'd behaved when he did have huge strength.

"Come with me….um Isa…I believe that's your name….look I won't hurt you if you cooperate…alright?"

"Alright!" she snarled.

"Right then….start walking back up to the church….and don't even think about running…I've got a gun!" Nigel said, poking her in the middle of her back with his finger as she turned towards the shack entrance.

As luck would have it, the village was almost deserted at that time and, therefore, as nobody was there to interfere, it took very little time to reach the church car park.

Once they were there, Nigel saw a black van parked just in front of them "stand there with your back to the church and your hands on top of the van!" he shouted, poking Isa in the back again with his finger. She didn't hesitate to do as she was told as she, obviously, believed he could kill her.

Just at that moment, a very angry looking Preston came out of the church with Nathan and Mrs Jackson by his side "where on earth have you been Nigel?….And who is that you're shoving around there!?" Preston shouted, as he stood there with his hands on his hips looking as if he wanted to give his younger brother a good hiding.

"It's OK Preston, I have the situation under control" Nigel said, trying to sound confident as he gave his brother a very serious look "you stay there with Mrs Jackson…..but um Nathan…..can you give me a hand with this creature please?!"

Preston was totally shocked by Nigel's ungentlemanly behaviour towards a woman, but Nathan, having listened to a few of Nigel's Relic Hunting stories, just recently, realised something was very wrong "that's totally out of character….and he looks desperate!" Nathan whispered in Preston's ear…"probably best not to interfere with whatever he's doing….he calls it um….going with the flow."

Preston nodded and looked totally bewildered as Nathan moved cautiously towards Nigel and the woman.

"Um what…what do you need me to do….um Nigel?" Nathan asked, just as Nigel put his finger to his lips.

"Hush" Nigel whispered as he took hold of Nathan's hand and pressed his friend's middle finger into Isa's back "keep the gun on her….and don't tell her anything about the lancet…..oh and if she moves….shoot her!...I'm just going to call Cate."

"Um OK" Nathan replied, feeling rather anxious and totally confused, as Nigel walked to the other side of the car park where he hoped he'd get a good signal.

Having rung Interpol, he immediately gave the receptionist a special code which he and Sydney had been given to use in emergencies. That code gave him direct contact with Cate, who was very concerned to hear Nigel's story, especially when she realised that Sydney wasn't with him.

"Well Nigel….as crazy as it was to go chasing after her….I'm sort of glad that you did…we had to release a few of the Gural Nataz we caught on Malta when I was with you….and I recall now that Isa was one of them….we just had insufficient evidence against her and some of the others….but this time it'll be different! Those thugs probably have no idea you've got her….and we know exactly where to look for stolen relics or artefacts!...Now tell me….what was in the package?" Cate asked, believing it must have been something quite valuable if the Gural Nataz were actually involved.

"I really don't know Cate…she must have taken whatever it was inside the cave and left it there because she didn't come out with it….oh but um….there were a couple of other packages left lying around the shack" Nigel said, trying to remember exactly what he saw.

"OK…don't worry about that now….look…I'm going to arrange for a dozen or so men fly over there from Sicily; they'll arrive in a military helicopter….with something as big as this could be Nigel….I'll have them there in an hour!" Cate said, feeling very hopeful "they'll soon get to the bottom of it!"

"Cate….I….I've no idea who's in that cave….it could be some of the Gural Nataz….or it might be just Isa's family…or…or even nobody at all…I didn't see anyone but her…..I just um….couldn't check it out on my own….but….but I do think it's suspicious the way the cave entrance was disguised!" Nigel said, realising then just how stupid it was to have gone after that particular woman without at least telling Doug where he was going.

"Well we'll soon find out…look Nigel….just be careful….take Isa inside the church and stay there with Preston, OK? Oh…I think you'd better tie her up….we don't want her escaping and tipping off the gang that we're on to them!" Cate said, feeling a little worried as she realised that, with an injured hand, and without Sydney, Nigel and his 'family' were in a very vulnerable position if the gang were to come looking for the woman.

Having said goodbye to the agent, Nigel rushed back to the van where Nathan was still holding the 'gun' on Isa "can I borrow your belt please, Nathan?" he asked, receiving an odd look from his friend.

"Well you can…but it'll be far too big for you Nigel" Nathan replied, looking even more confused.

"Yes it will….but it'll hold her arms against her body nicely!...Um…hand me the gun….I'll hold it on her while you do that….make it tight…I don't want her to get away!" Nigel said, hoping Nathan would have realised, by now, that he needed the woman to believe they were armed!

Feeling a lot better once the woman was tied up, Nigel asked Nathan to walk with him to where Preston was standing holding onto Mrs Jackson. Preston had been trying hard to prevent the elderly lady from interfering with what Nigel and Nathan were doing, although he'd still no idea, at all, what was going on.

"Is everything alright now Nigel?" Preston asked, looking very worried.

"Um…yes….everything's fine now Pres….please just trust me….I'll explain everything in a minute" Nigel said, giving his brother an apologetic look "nana….please don't worry about what you see here…..it'll be alright…b…but I just need you to sit in the car with Doug for a while….Preston will you take her to the limo please?"

"Um…well….alright" Preston said, starting to lead Mrs Jackson away, although she made it quite clear that she wasn't happy about it.

"I want to talk to him Preston" she said, looking back at Nigel.

"In a while….let's just do as he asked for now….I'll um…find out what he's up to and come back and tell you what it is…I'm sure he'll have a good explanation."

"I certainly hope he does!...Fancy pushing that poor woman around like that!" Mrs Jackson replied; feeling very upset by Nigel's behaviour, as she watched Preston walk back to the church.

Preston had barely reached the church door when Mrs Jackson's concerns got the better of her again and she opened the car widow "Nigel!...Come over here and sit in the car with me!" she called out, noticing Nathan was about to drag the woman into the church.

"I'm sorry nana….I can't….that woman's actually a criminal…so please stay there….I've called the authorities and they're on their way…I um…..just need to get her out of the sun until they arrive" Nigel called back, hoping that Mrs Jackson would now stay put.

"Oh my goodness sweetheart….in that case make sure Preston and Nathan stay with you while you wait" she said, wanting to get out of the car; but realising she'd only be in the way.

"I will nana…just relax we'll be alright" Nigel said, as he walked into the church with Preston and realised, by the very angry look on Isa's face, that she now knew she'd been duped!

"Nathan….um please would you take her to the far side of the church" Nigel said, picking up a shawl from a box, just inside the door "tie her to a pew with this and then please come back over here."

Watching in amazement, as Nathan took the woman away, Preston worried that his normally shy little brother was not thinking clearly "Podge…you know that's stealing! Those scarves belong to the church….they're for women who arrive here with exposed shoulders….that's frowned upon in here you know!" Preston said, giving his brother a stern look and feeling a little on edge.

"Yes I know Pres…but I'm sure the priest won't mind….I'll um….put some money in the collection box and send a couple of new shawls to the church….now um…..let's sit down and I'll explain everything" Nigel said, noticing Nathan was on his way back.

"All done Einstein….now what kind of criminal is she that's caused you to be so um… rough?" Nathan asked, hoping she done nothing too horrific.

Nigel began to explain, being as careful as possible not to worry them excessively. However, he wasn't very successful, as before he could finish, Preston became quite infuriated "damn it!" he yelled "I thought Cate said Malta was Gural Nataz free!"

"This is Gozo Pres, not Malta; some of them could have relocated here" Nigel said in Cate's defence.

"Well she should have checked! Gozo's practically the same place; it's part of the Maltese Islands!" Preston yelled, looking very concerned "you know Podge, you should never have followed her like that….you might have run into the whole gang!….This is just like Rio all over again!….They could have killed you!"

"Oh Preston, for goodness sake; I'll never be able to get my life back on track if I don't face my fears…..I'm going to have to do things like that when Sydney and I go relic hunting!" Nigel said, speaking before he'd really thought about it.

"Nigel! You can get your life back on track without taking risks like that…especially with an injured hand!" Preston said, giving him another very anxious look.

"Oh...I…I'm sorry Pres, I didn't mean to upset you but…but honestly….you have to stop freaking out every time I'm out of your sight" Nigel said, understanding why Preston felt that way, and realising he had a point!

"I can't help it Podge…you're the only real family I have….and I most certainly hope Sydney won't let you go chasing after criminals by yourself! She promised me she'd protect you!" Preston said, putting his arm over his younger brother's shoulders.

"Pres…she will….she always has….she'd never deliberately put me in danger….it was my own fault I got into trouble when I was on Malta before….I didn't tell her I was helping Interpol….otherwise she'd have tried to stop me….but…well….she was away and I guess…well….when Cate asked me to impersonate Ian Worthingham I...I just wanted to prove that I wasn't a…a wimp."

Preston pulled him close "you're not a wimp Podge…you've proved that a million times!…..But…well….perhaps I wouldn't worry about you so much if you were a bit bigger…..it just seemed like all the thugs we ran into on those relic hunts I came on, were huge….even compared to me! You're simply not physically equipped to deal with them."

Nigel smiled because he knew Preston was being sincere and, truth be told, he enjoyed the affection his brother showed towards him these days, because, for years, he'd wrongly thought Preston didn't love him.

"Um…I…I think I can hear a helicopter Pres….it's been about an hour, so it's probably the soldiers Cate said she'd send.…I'd um….better go outside and meet them….um…would you mind checking on nana please Pres; I think the sight of a huge helicopter landing close by will frighten her, so you'd better explain everything….well…within reason."

"Yes I think I better had Podge….she'll be thinking a war is breaking out!" Preston said, as he rushed outside.

"Nathan….would you mind keeping an eye on Isa while I deal with whoever's in that helicopter?" Nigel asked, realising, by the look on Nathan's face, that he was feeling much the same as Preston did about him.

"OK Nigel…..I'll do that…..but you just remember….you're a little Einstein….not Superman! OK?" Nathan said, ruffling Nigel's hair like he used to when Nigel was a boy.

"Alright…alright Nathan!" Nigel said, giggling nervously as he left the church.

Believing the whole mess would soon be cleared up; Nigel watched the large, military style, helicopter land in the car park about 30 feet away from where he was standing. Wondering then what would happen, he waited for the blades to stop twirling and then watched as several burly men, armed with some very serious looking guns, got out. Feeling rather inferior, bearing in mind the size of the men, and the conversation he'd just had with Preston, he waved at them rather feebly which, worryingly, caused them to run directly at him at full pelt!

Nigel's eyes got wider and wider as the first man came towards him looking like he was about to squash him like a fly. He was well over six foot tall, with a very handsome, yet ferocious looking, black face. Nigel rightly assumed he was in charge, as he yelled out the command "halt!" and bent down to look him "I'm Colonel Case; I'm looking for Nigel Bailey."

"I…I'm….Nigel Bailey, Sir" he said, looking nervously up at the man

"Good heavens! Agent Hemphill told me you'd helped her infiltrate the Gural Nataz and that you'd found a cave that might contain treasures they've stolen…..but she certainly didn't tell me you were a kid!" the Colonel said, looking Nigel up and down with a stunned expression on his face.

"I'm um…not a…a kid Sir…I just look young" Nigel said, wishing Sydney was by his side.

"Oh…alright then….but she also said you'd taken a woman prisoner…..a woman who's part of the Gural Nataz….so where is she?" Colonel Case asked, looking around the general area.

"She's tied up inside the church Sir….my friend Nathan's watching her" Nigel replied, feeling rather intimidated but sensing the Colonel was a good man.

"OK then Nigel…..let's get on with this….you show me where the cave is….and Privates Bickford and Jones…you go and get the prisoner from the church and put her in the chopper….the rest of you men…follow me…..and this young man!" the Colonel said, waving his hand to indicate they should move right now.

Nigel felt a little hesitant as he realised that this was a rather expensive mission if they found nothing in the cave! However, he knew too there was a very good chance that the Gural Nataz were using it to hide stolen works of art and relics; so one way or another, someone had to check! He, therefore, led the men down the steep pathway, trying not to trip over as he stepped over the rocks, as he'd feel rather silly if he did!

Within a very short space of time they reached the village and Nigel immediately took the agents to the shack "the cave's behind this hut Sir….but I….I've no idea if any of the Gural Nataz are in there" Nigel said, hoping they wouldn't be angry with him if, having flown from Sicily to Gozo, they found nothing.

Ripping off the cotton material covering the doorway, they cautiously entered the hut and looked around. Having moved forward a little the Colonel shone his torch into entrance of the cave although, unfortunately, he saw nothing but a long tunnel with a few flat packages leaning against the walls. Realising then that, of course, there could be almost anyone in there, the Colonel turned and put his large hand's on Nigel's shoulders "Bailey….you stay here….Agent Hemphill gave me strict instructions not to put you, or any other civilians, in danger…so you keep safe…but stay alert!"

Nigel nodded, believing he'd be of little assistance to soldiers who were all so well armed.

"Men….follow me!" the Colonel said, as quietly as possible; not wishing to tip off anyone that they were about to be raided!

As soon as the soldiers left, Nigel began looking around the dark little shack to see if he could find anything incriminating. The first thing he noticed was a package leaning against the wall, which was very similar to the ones Colonel Case had illuminated inside the cave, although this one was a bit smaller. Being an inquisitive young man, he simply had to find out what was in it, as that would give him an indication as to whether or not this mission was worth the expense.

Kneeling down to get a better look, he pulled the package away from the wall and carefully ripped off the paper. Having done that pretty quickly, he was excited to discover that the package contained a beautiful oil painting of Mary and baby Jesus, which completely took his breath away "Oh my God it's stunning!" he said to himself, squinting his eyes as he held it up to the small amount of light coming from the doorway "and that signature says….oh! Leonardo Da Vinci!"

Looking deep into the cave entrance he felt quite nervous, as he realised, having seen the painting, that this definitely was a Gural Nataz hide out! However, as he could hear no noise coming from within the cave, apart from the distant stomping of the soldiers' feet, he continued looking around.

Staying knelt on the floor, he looked towards the entrance of the shack where, on the left-hand side, he spotted another parcel leaning against a chair. Crawling over to inspect it, he was just about to pass the cave entrance when, to his utter horror, he heard weapons being discharged from inside!

He had no choice then but to stay put, as he was paralysed with fear and could hardly breathe! To make matters worse, from the position he was in he could see directly into the cave, which, unfortunately, made him feel even more insecure and vulnerable as, obviously, at any moment, bullets could come flying his way!

Trying to do his best to move away, he accidentally knelt on something hard, which dug into his knee and was very painful "ouch ouch ouch" he screeched, pulling his knee up in front of his chest and rolling sideways on the floor. As he rubbed his knee, he suddenly became aware that someone was running towards him from inside the cave! Taking no chances, he covered his head with his arms and led face down on the floor, hoping that if any shooting took place, he'd be alright down there. Two seconds later, however, a large man, wearing a white suit, sprinted out of the cave, looking very agitated! He, obviously, believed he was being chased because, as he exited the cave, he looked behind and shouted "keep back…I have a gun!" which unfortunately meant he didn't see Nigel and went sprawling over the top of him!

"Ahh!" Nigel cried, as the man's knees hit the side of his back and he fell forward.

Feeling pretty dazed, the man pulled himself up into a kneeling position, right on top of Nigel's back, and shuffled, one knee at a time, backwards, in an attempt to stand up. Nigel screamed as the man's knees pressed on his ribs, yet even though the brute got off, and managed to stand up; he soon fell down again, hitting Nigel with full force on his back!

"Ahh….h…he…help!" Nigel moaned; his voice barely above a whisper.

Trying hard to wriggle out, Nigel suddenly realised, as he tried to move, that the back of his shirt was getting very damp. Thinking for a second that the man must have urinated on him and passed out, he tried to move away the man's limp arm that had flopped in front of his face. However, in doing so, he was totally shocked and dismayed to discover that it wasn't pee soaking into his shirt, at all; it was, in fact, blood! Feeling breathless and nauseous, Nigel continued to try and free himself, but the man was simply too heavy. He began to think he might suffocate if someone didn't rescue him quite soon, but then, believing things couldn't get any worse, another man rushed out and fell on top of them!

Thinking he might die with the weight on top of him, and being close to passing out, he suddenly heard more weapons being fired, which shocked him back to consciousness "g...get…o…off me" he whimpered, being just too weak to scream. A couple of seconds later, Colonel Case and two of his men ran out; although, luckily, they managed to stop themselves from falling onto the bodies by dodging off to the side.

Hearing Nigel moan, and noticing his head protruding from beneath the men, the Colonel immediately had the brute on top removed and handcuffed. Unfortunately, however, as the first man was pulled off too, it was instantly apparent that he was dead!

Noticing that Nigel's face looked blue, and that he was covered in blood, the Colonel was just about to give him CPR when Nigel suddenly gave a big sigh and opened his eyes.

"Are you OK son?...Is that your blood?" the Colonel asked, desperately hoping it wasn't, particularly, bearing in mind how furious Cate would be!

"N…no…it's his" Nigel muttered, as he tried to point at the dead man before he passed out.

The next thing Nigel was aware of was waking up inside the church, lying on a table, with an extremely concerned Mrs Jackson watching over him!

"What happened nana? Where is everyone?" he asked, feeling rather strange.

"Oh sweetheart, are you alright? Don't you worry about a thing….the soldiers are outside talking to Preston and Nathan, you just lie there and let them sort things out" she said, placing her hands on his chest to prevent him getting up.

Just then Colonel Case walked in looking very serious, although his expression changed to one of relief when he saw that Nigel was conscious "well, you seem a little better now young man….how're you feeling?" he asked, sitting down on a chair in front of the table.

"Oh…I….I'm alright Sir" Nigel said, unsure of what to say in front of Mrs Jackson.

"I'll let you talk to him alone Colonel" Mrs Jackson said, walking to the other side of the church, where she sat down and began reading The Bible.

"What happened inside the cave Sir? Were those men that fell on me part of the Gural Nataz?" Nigel asked, trying not to show that he was in pain.

"They certainly were…and thanks to you we arrested twelve of them!...Oh….and it's transpired that the woman you caught is married to one of their leaders, so Interpol are delighted with the action you took regarding her" The Colonel said, noticing Nigel was rubbing his arm "you know you did an excellent job in stopping those guys from getting away….one of them would have definitely escaped if it hadn't been for you! I guess you must be pretty bruised though."

"I suppose I am….a bit" Nigel said, looking over to see if Mrs Jackson heard him say that and believing that she hadn't "but…um…well….I was actually kneeling down on the ground….they um… just fell over me….I wouldn't have had the strength to fight them off….not with only one hand Sir…or even with two really!"

The Colonel smiled at him "never mind that….you still helped….thanks to you we found tons of stolen works of art!" Colonel Case replied, gently patting Nigel on the shoulder "I've left a couple of men at the shack with the treasures and Agent Hemphill's sending another chopper to transport everything to Sicily….don't worry though….that's just for now….she's spoken to your brother about getting the British Museum to identify and authenticate the items….they'll eventually be returned to their rightful owners….hey are you sure you're alright Nigel?...You look a bit dazed again….you were completely out of it for a little while."

"Yes…I think so….the bruises hurt a bit and I'm a bit giddy….but I'm fine…um….where's Preston? He worries about me um…a lot" Nigel said, immediately noticing the Colonel smiled and shook his head.

"Don't I know it young man…..he almost had a fit when we carried you back here covered in blood! Of course, I showed him it wasn't actually your blood….and explained you'd just fainted….so he's calmed down now….he's outside in the car….we made him stay there so that Mrs Jackson could attend to you in peace….and so that he could speak with Agent Hemphill….do you want to go out and see him?" Colonel Case asked, noticing Nigel immediately sat up and hopped off the table "I'm sure he'll be glad to see you've come round….but take it easy kid….you don't want to pass out again!"

Having noticed Nigel get off the table, Mrs Jackson rushed back over "Oh do you really think you should be doing that sweetheart?" she said, as Nigel walked a little unsteadily towards the church door, with the Colonel holding on to him.

"Nana I'm fine…I'm just a bit giddy that's all….so um…..come with me too" Nigel said, stretching out his hand to her, realising she'd follow anyway!

As soon as Preston saw Nigel coming towards the car, he leapt out and ran over to him "are you alright Podge? I almost died of shock when I saw them bringing you back here!" he said, pulling Nigel into his arms.

Nigel returned the hug "I'm fine Pres; but I can't wait to get back to Malta" he said, wondering what Sydney was going to think about missing all the excitement.

"Well if you're sure you feel well enough….and the Colonel's finished with you…. that's a good idea…otherwise we'll just have to stay at a hotel in Victoria tonight" Preston said, brushing Nigel's hair off his grubby face and looking into his eyes "are you sure you're feeling OK?…You look awful?"

"I'm aching a bit….and I'm dizzy…that's all…I just need a couple of paracetamol, a bath and some clean clothes….then I'll soon be back to normal" Nigel said, looking at Preston and then the Colonel, who'd been standing by his side watching the emotional scene.

"Well you'd better rush if you want to catch the ferry" the Colonel said, feeling delighted that his mission had been so successful "they run regularly during the day but it's getting late now, so I suggest you gather everyone together and get going…..you don't want to miss the last one…..you look after yourself Nigel and if we need any further information….I'm sure Agent Hemphill will contact you."

"Thank you Sir….I'll try" Nigel said, as he walked with Preston and Mrs Jackson towards the car.

 **There seem to be quite a few French, Italian and Germans reading this story; but you never review; so I've no idea if you're enjoying it. It would mean a lot to me to read what you think….as long as you're nice about it! Thank you to the one person who's been so kind to me, from the start…Beatrix! What would I do without you!**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Having caught the last ferry back to Malta, with a concerned Mrs Jackson watching Nigel very closely, Doug tried to find the fastest way back to the house because, even though Nigel denied it, Mrs Jackson informed him that Nigel was truly in pain.

"Look sweetheart, you don't have to put on a brave face for me!" she said, dabbing a wet cloth on Nigel's forehead "but it's obvious those nasty bruises, or something else, is hurting you."

"Oh nana, I know I look poorly but it's not that bad…..honestly….once I'm out of this shirt, had a bath and good night's sleep….I'll be back to normal" he said, genuinely hoping that that would be the case. However, having been crushed underneath those men and with everything else that had happened that day, she was right, he was feeling very sore, his head was thumping and his knee hurt.

Bearing in mind how late they were, Sydney had phoned Preston a couple of hours earlier, as she'd gotten no response from Nigel's phone and she was getting concerned. Naturally, not wishing to worry her further, Preston only gave her the briefest of details of what Nigel had done; although it was obvious, to her, he was holding back when it came to Nigel's injuries. She was, however, glad he explained why Nigel would have a bloodstained, shirt when he arrived back, as that would have been horrifying to see without that explanation!

Having heard the car arrive, Sydney rushed out to greet them and almost got hit by it in her haste to see Nigel!

Yanking open the car door, she leapt inside, throwing her arms around Nigel, who flinched when she squeezed him "Sweetie, are you OK?…They didn't hurt you too badly…did they?" she asked, loosening her hold as she saw his pained expression and blood stained clothes "you look really awful."

"Oh thanks!…..No really Syd….I'm alright...maybe a bit car sick" he replied giving her that innocent look he used when he was telling a white lie, although he almost immediately realised, by the look on Sydney's face, she didn't believe him "OK….I have a few bruises and well….a bit of a headache."

"OK…..Now tell me what really happened inside that shack? Preston was so vague" she said, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

He quickly relayed the story, realising it was pointless hiding anything from her, as she'd only get the information from Preston and eventually, Cate.

"Oh God Nigel, I wish I'd been there! Not only would I have kicked that Isa's butt, but I'd have made you stay in the car! You shouldn't have followed her alone… you should have called Preston…are you sure you've no broken ribs Sweetie?" Sydney asked, taking his hand to help him out of the car.

"I do…don't….ouch…think so….I know I was stupid Syd….but Preston was inside the church and Isa would've gotten away if I hadn't gone after her immediately" Nigel said, as he struggled a little to stand.

"Well…I suppose that's true" she replied, putting her arm around Nigel's back.

"Sydney" Mrs Jackson said, giving her a hand to steady Nigel "I did my best to clean him up after the soldiers carried him back to the church….but all I had was some bottled water….luckily one of the soldiers was a medic….so he was able to check him over, before he left him with me….he seemed to think he was alright….but I'm not so sure now."

"Well don't worry Mrs Jackson….I won't let him hide anything from me!" Sydney said, noticing Nigel looked worried "well Sweetie, you've pretended your fine before when you really should have seen a doctor….remember that incident in the bar, in Rio?"

"OK OK…please stop fussing" Nigel said, leaning on Sydney's shoulder and hoping Mrs Jackson wouldn't ask him what happened in the bar! "Ouch….oh I'm a bit stiff from sitting in the car….um…OK….so I might need a little help to get to the bedroom."

"Alright, come on then Mr Troublemaker!" Sydney said, holding Nigel as tightly as she could, without pressing too hard on his bruises.

Preston had stayed in the limo while the two women were fussing over Nigel, as he wanted to properly thank Doug for his help that day. However, having handed over a £100 tip, he quickly got out of the car and chased after Sydney "let me help you" he said, taking hold of Nigel's free arm.

Once they reached the bedroom and placed Nigel on the bed, Sydney thanked Preston for his help and indicated, with a wink, that she'd appreciate being left alone with Nigel. He immediately took the hint, but truly hoped that Nigel would feel more comfortable once he'd soaked in the bath.

"So let's get that dirty shirt off you" Sydney said, starting to undo the buttons "then I'll know for sure whether you're OK or not."

By this time, of course, Nigel realised it was pointless pretending he wasn't in pain, as every movement he made hurt, and it showed in his face.

"Um…well….I…I um might have a few more bruises now than I did when I was in the church" Nigel said, realising he was aching a lot more than he was earlier "the…um…medic told nana that might happen.

"Nigel! You're black and blue!...And you've got a cut on your back! Why didn't you go to the hospital? I can't believe Preston didn't take you...it looks like something sharp pierced your skin" Sydney said, looking closely at the wound.

"Oh Syd….the cut isn't painful….it's the bruises on my back and my knee that hurt….I knelt on something hard on the floor of the shack."

"That cut should have been cleaned immediately with antiseptic…but I suppose it's not that deep…now let me have a look at your knee."

Nigel lifted his behind off the bed so that Sydney could pull off his trousers and examine his knee "I can hardly feel that cut Syd….it was probably missed because of all the blood on my back from….from" Nigel said, suddenly looking a bit woozy "oh God…that man who died on top of me!"

"Sweetie try not to think about that…he was a thug….and it wasn't your fault he died….if he hadn't been one of the Gural Nataz that wouldn't have happened."

"I…I know Syd" Nigel replied, looking quite sad, but realising too that he had to put that to the back of his mind.

"Right…Chin up!" Sydney said, believing being a little tough would help him forget that awful moment; although she really wanted to hug him "Now let me see that knee….oh my goodness Nigel….that's really swollen….I'll ask Mrs Jackson to put an icepack on it when you finished your bath…come on I'll help you get to the bathroom."

Nigel perched himself on a chair close to the bath and took hold of the tap "I can run the bath Syd…but um….would you mind…..undoing the bubble bath for me please?" Nigel said, looking quite embarrassed as he lifted up his bandaged hand to remind her he could only use one "th….that lavender one would be nice."

Sydney smiled, undid the bottle, and poured a very generous amount of the soapy liquid into the running water. Having checked the temperature was alright; she helped Nigel remove his socks, but thoughtfully turned her back to allow him to take off his underwear. Of course, she still had to help him into the bath; which caused him to blush; although he knew he absolutely had to get used to being naked in front of her!

Once he was in the water he immediately led down, covered himself with bubbles and closed his eyes; hoping desperately he'd be able to soak away some of the pain. Sydney watched him for a few minutes, wishing with all her heart that she'd gone to Gozo that day and been able to prevent him from getting hurt. However, although she believed that what he did was crazy, she still felt very proud of him and realised too that he must be psychologically improving all the time.

When he'd finished soaking, he carefully got out of the bath and put on his towelling dressing gown, although he felt so sleepy he didn't even bother to dry himself. Having walked into the bedroom, he yawned and flopped face down on the bed "I think I'll just lie here for a few minutes Syd" he said, and promptly fell asleep!

Remembering Nigel's swollen knee, Sydney rushed out to find Mrs Jackson who immediately made up an icepack and placed it on the swelling. Amazingly, even though they had to turn him over to do that, he didn't wake up; he simply moaned and coughed a little. However, after another half an hour, believing he didn't look comfortable, Sydney put a pillow under his head and pulled the quilt loosely over him. This caring action, unfortunately, did disturb him, and he began to mumble in his sleep, although, thankfully, he didn't appear to be having nightmares, like she feared he might. He was, however, like that for most of the night and on a couple of occasions he even woke up. At those times though, trying hard not to wake Sydney as well, he didn't turn on the light, or get up, he merely swallowed down some pills, without water, and tried to go back to sleep.

During Breakfast, the following morning, everyone could see that Nigel was not quite himself, as all he wanted was fruit juice and two more paracetamol!

"I'm going to take you to the doctors, young man" Mrs Jackson said, feeling Nigel's forehead and looking into his eyes

"OK nana…you're right….I feel just awful…but it's probably nothing" Nigel said, guzzling down another small glass of juice.

"I can take him if you like, Mrs Jackson" Sydney said, looking at the elderly lady who was, obviously, very concerned.

"Oh thank you Sydney, but I just have to be with him….oh but please come along….I'd appreciate having your company while he's being examined" Mrs Jackson replied, realising Sydney felt much the same.

Doug drove them to the doctor's surgery in Valetta, which took about twenty minutes, where they were pleased to find very few people in the waiting room.

"How's your knee and headache now Sweetie?" Sydney asked, as they patiently waited for Nigel to be seen.

"They seem a bit easier than when I first got up Syd…thank goodness" Nigel replied, as he heard his name being called by the receptionist.

Walking into the surgery, feeling a little nervous, Nigel was soon put at ease when the doctor smiled at him and helped him onto the couch "now then young man…tell me what brings you here?" the doctor asked, noticing his patient looked very tired.

Nigel explained, very basically, what had happened and what his symptoms were, although the doctor could see he was bruised, as he was wearing a short sleeved shirt, which was undone at the neck.

Feeling very surprised at Nigel's explanation, yet wanting to ensure he found the real cause of Nigel's thumping headache, he examined him thoroughly and although he found a small bump on the back of his head, he felt that couldn't be the problem. However, on questioning Nigel further, he believed dehydration was, as Nigel had been out in the hot Maltese sun a lot and obviously hadn't drank enough water throughout that time.

Once the doctor had cleaned the wound on his back and covered it with some gauze, he felt that would suffice, although he suggested Nigel kept a plaster on it for the next few days.

Having checked for any broken bones, the doctor began to bathe the worst of Nigel's bruises with Witch Hazel and explained to him how the lotion would help to fade the marks and speed up the healing process; although Nigel knew that already, as Mrs Jackson had used it on him when he was a child.

Even though his knee seemed a lot less painful, right now, the doctor felt he should have another icepack on it, that night, just to ensure the swelling continued to go down. He believed, however, that there was no serious damage, which put Nigel's mind at rest, as he'd believed he might have chipped the bone!

Turning to the bandage on Nigel's hand, the doctor began to gently remove it, being very careful not to cause any pain. However, having taken the last piece of bandage off, he gave Nigel a very strange look.

"What's wrong doctor?" Nigel asked, looking at the physician's face and then at his hand.

"Well what do you think young man?" the doctor said, looking slightly confused.

"Oh my God!" Nigel said, leaping to his feet and rushing outside to the waiting room "Sydney! Nana! Look at this!…The cut….it's…it's gone!...There's not even a scar!"

Mrs Jackson looked totally shocked and then a little embarrassed, as Nigel, completely out of character, had forgotten he had nothing on but his boxers! Pushing him back into the examination room, with a little help from Sydney, they both looked more closely at his hand.

"Sweetheart" Mrs Jackson said, handing Nigel his clothes, which she'd found draped over a chair "the only explanation is that when I prayed to God, yesterday, to protect you….he answered my prayer!"

Sydney looked stunned; as even though she'd seen plenty of mysterious and baffling things, during her time as a relic hunter, this was so unusual! "You might be right Mrs Jackson" she said, looking directly at Nigel.

"Well um….I suppose you…um….must be nana….be…because this is a miracle and everything else turned out sort of OK yesterday too" Nigel said, yanking up his trousers and starting to blush scarlet as he suddenly realised how it must have looked when he rushed out to the waiting room!

Mrs Jackson hugged him gently and then turned to the doctor "Um is Nigel alright?"

"Well….yes….I believe so" the doctor said, looking quite bemused, having just witnessed three people discussing something he considered quite bizarre "his headache was simply caused by dehydration…you need to make sure he drinks a lot more Mrs Jackson….oh and those bruises….they'll soon fade if you put a little Witch Hazel on them….just put a little on some cotton wool and dab it on the bruises..…you can buy it at any pharmacy."

"Oh….well thank you for that" Mrs Jackson replied, feeling a little offended by the doctors superior tone "but I do know how to use Witch Hazel."

Sensing Mrs Jackson was irked; Sydney decided to step in while Nigel finished dressing "So do we need to do anything else to make him feel better?...What about his knee…what should we do about that?" she asked, hoping Nigel had explained his knee had been painful.

"Just put an icepack on it tonight and keep him out of the sun as much as possible today and tomorrow" the doctor said, quickly turning around to speak to Nigel "Now if you do decide to go out ….you must wear a cap...and, of course, if you don't feel better in a couple of days….come back and see me."

"Oh he will, you can be sure of that!" Mrs Jackson said, tidying up Nigel's hair with her hand, just like she used to when he was a boy.

"Yes I will….thank you doctor" Nigel said, doing up the last button on his shirt "um shall we go nana….the doctor has other patients to see."

"Yes sweetheart, I suppose we should….oh and there's plenty of lemonade back at the house, just like there's always been….dehydrated indeed!" Mrs Jackson said, making sure the doctor heard, as she still felt he was criticising her.

On the short journey back to the house Nigel began to think really deeply about the apparent miracle. However, in the end, he came to the conclusion that he'd probably never know how that happened, or why it did. He'd no idea either how that lancet had given him incredible strength, or how the spirit of the Mochican warrior returned to protect the doomed; he just knew they did and he had to accept it.

Naturally, as soon as they walked into the house Preston rushed over to greet them "so what did the doctor say…are you alright?" he asked, noticing Nigel looked much better than when he'd left the house that morning.

"Yes…I'm fine….I just need to drink plenty of water….I thought my head was going to explode this morning…but luckily it's nothing serious at all" Nigel said, going on to explain what else the doctor had said, as he drank some juice that Mrs Jackson had brought in for him "oh and um….look at my hand! Can you believe it!?"

Preston's eyes almost popped out of his head "Podge! It must have been something to do with that church! You must be a very special young man…..you have to be!" he said, as he examined Nigel's hand "I think God must have something very important planned for you; why else would he have done that!"

Nigel looked surprised and then smiled and looked up at his brother "I don't know why he did it Pres; I'm just glad he did!"

While Nigel and Preston were talking, Sydney received an unexpected call from the Dean, at Trinity College, who advised her that, although the paparazzi had stayed around the college for a couple of days, they'd gone now, so it was safe for her and Nigel to come back. Obviously, she explained that Nigel wasn't well enough to do that just yet, but she nevertheless promised she'd return on the next available flight.

Not wishing to upset Nigel, until she had no choice, Sydney decided not to tell him the bad news, although she did warn Preston, Nathan and Mrs Jackson. Of course, she knew she'd still have to secretly pack and get her flight booked, but she hoped Nigel wouldn't notice anything was wrong, so that they could enjoy each other's company until the very last moment.

Having made sure Nigel took some paracetamol and drank plenty of liquids; Mrs Jackson had insisted he rests on the sofa for a little while; hoping that would give Sydney a chance to pack most of her things, while Nathan volunteered to book her flight. Luckily Nigel didn't argue about resting, as he really did feel sleepy, although, happily, his headache was almost gone and his knee was not too painful.

Realising that Nigel was going to be devastated when Sydney eventually told him the news, and because they felt it was the right thing to do, Preston, Nathan and Mrs Jackson vacated the lounge when Sydney came back downstairs, to ensure the young couple had some privacy.

Feeling a little guilty for keeping things from Nigel, but hoping she was doing the right thing, Sydney suggested they spend the rest of the day watching DVDs, listening to music and cuddling to their heart's content!

Of course, Nigel was delighted with that suggestion as, obviously, he had to keep out of the sun anyway "come and snuggle up to me Syd…this sofa's really deep and comfortable" Nigel said, noticing the look of joy appear on Sydney's face as she led down beside him.

As they chatted and cuddled, Nigel, being the very sensitive young man that he was, could tell something wasn't quite right with Sydney's behaviour. However, remembering that he'd flinched a few times as they hugged, he considered she was probably just worried that she might hurt him if she wasn't very careful.

Nevertheless, as the day progressed Nigel noticed Sydney was becoming more and more distracted; even though he was looking and feeling much better. However, just as he'd plucked up enough courage to ask her what was wrong, Mrs Jackson came in with some more painkillers and a pitcher of lemonade "you look much better Nigel" she said, as she stroked his head and looked at him fondly "everything OK Sydney?"

Sydney gave the elderly lady a half smile "oh…yes everything's fine Mrs Jackson…he's stopped complaining about his head now" she said, realising that what the elderly lady really wanted to know was whether or not she'd given Nigel the bad news.

"Yes nana, my head's fine now…I…I don't think I'll need any more pills…but that juice looks good" Nigel said, suddenly noticing the two women were giving each other strange looks "What's wrong!? Syd…what's going on?...You've been off with the fairies all afternoon…now what is it?"

Sydney realised then that there was no point in hiding it from him anymore, as she'd obviously not succeeded in preventing him from fretting.

"Sweetie…look try not to get upset" she said, going on to explain what the Dean had said to her earlier.

"I…I knew something was wrong Syd…but…oh hell! Why now! Just when we were getting some quality time together….damn it! I…I want to make love to you…ri…right now!" Nigel said, looking directly into her eyes and then blushing from head to toe as he realised Mrs Jackson was still there.

"Oh Nige…that would be so wonderful…but no….you're just upset about me leaving…if you were genuinely ready for that you'd have taken me to bed an hour ago…no Sweetie…I'm not risking it….even if there's nothing I'd like more!" Sydney said, hugging him gently and noticing that Mrs Jackson was looking a little stunned.

"Oh God Syd…I love you so much.…nobody else understands me like you do" Nigel said, still blushing a little as he hugged her back "I guess I understand you a bit too….I realise why you didn't tell me earlier that you have to leave….but…but Syd…I could actually fly to America with you?"

"Look I know you originally thought you were returning to America right after the trial….but now…..well…you need to get rid of a few of those bruises….and you can't just up and leave Preston and Mrs Jackson, just like that!"

Nigel looked down at the floor "I…I know" he said, sounding very upset.

"But Sweetie look….I'm convinced you'll soon be well enough to join me….It might only be a couple of weeks!" Sydney said, watching Nigel's sad eyes as he gazed into hers "Sweetie…look on the bright side….this will give me time to settle in and get things prepared for you at the office….and at the house….then it'll be no time at all until you're back into the swing of things."

"Do you really think so Syd?"

"Yes Nige….I really do….your intimacy problems will soon disappear and we'll be able to have a full and natural relationship….with no more set-backs!...So do you want to help me finish off my packing?" Sydney said, stretching out her hand to him.

"I suppose so" he replied, taking her hand as he got off the sofa

That night neither of them slept very much, but Nigel ended up with his arm hung over Sydney's waist again! However, much to her joy, on this occasion, he seemed to be fully aware of what he was doing and although it didn't lead to anything, he seemed quite relaxed!

The following morning Doug drove both of them to the airport where they said their rather tearful goodbyes and promised to ring each other every day.

Having boarded her flight, Sydney did her best to relax, although it was difficult as she simply couldn't get Nigel's unhappy face out of her mind. Eventually, however, she fell asleep, but without Nigel sitting next her, leaning lovingly on her shoulder, she felt lonely and unsettled for the entire flight.

Nigel, of course, felt miserable that night too, not only because he felt frustrated that she had to leave before his confidence had fully returned, but because his bruises were a little uncomfortable as well.

The following morning, realising just how much Nigel was going to miss Sydney, Preston arranged to visit a really fun place, hoping it would keep his brother's mind occupied and stop him feeling downhearted. Of course, he didn't think he'd succeed, but he knew he had to try, as he hated seeing Nigel look so dejected.

On the other hand, Nigel was very much aware of the time and effort Preston had put into the holiday and, obviously, he didn't want to appear ungrateful. Therefore, with that in mind, he promised himself that whatever his brother had planned, he'd try to enjoy it and be appreciative of the fact that Preston cared about him so much.

Preston had kept their destination for today a secret, as he wanted it to be a surprise. This, of course, meant that Nigel wasn't prepared, at all, for what he saw before him when they arrived "Wow what is this place Pres?….I've never seen anything like it!" Nigel said, his eyes getting wider and wider.

"It's Sweethaven Village, Podge….it's actually an old film set…..it's where they made 'Popeye'….you know…..the film with Robin Williams….apparently when they completed the movie they simply left the set here….so it's become a tourist attraction" Preston replied, noticing how impressed Nigel looked.

"It's like we're in a cartoon!….God I wish Syd was here to see this with me….hey look at those people over there….they're dressed as Popeye and Olive Oyl….they look amazing! Oh and that's Bluto!" Nigel said, noticing everyone was smiling at him "Um….what's so funny? I know the characters….I used to watch it on TV with Nathan when I was a boy."

"Einstein!….You promised not to tell anyone about that…..you little beggar!" Nathan joked, as Nigel, who put on a fake innocent look and giggled back at him.

"Well I can see that you two are going to enjoy this place!" Preston said, wondering what else Nigel and Nathan got up to behind his back, years ago, as he took Mrs Jackson by the hand and helped her down the steps leading to the village.

"Is this going to be like Disneyland Pres?" Nigel asked; when they were about half way down the steps.

"Oh um….I don't think it's going to be quite like that Podge…they have amazing rides there….this place has just got a few characters that you can have your photo taken with….and you can explore the village and take a boat trip" Preston said, noticing Nigel looked a little surprised "Podge…I'm so sorry I neglected to take you to places like Disneyland when you were a boy…I should have at least taken you there….but this place is supposed to make people feel happy too…that's why I chose to come here today."

"Pres that's so thoughtful of you...but I'm not worried that it's not like Disneyland at all….I'd have been ill on those rides….this'll do just fine for me" Nigel said, trying to reassure his brother that he held no grudges about the past, as it was obvious, by that comment, that Preston was still worrying about it!

"Thank you Podge….you're a terrific little brother…and…and…I'm glad I chose to bring you here" Preston said as they reached the bottom of the steps.

Having then walked around the corner, Nigel suddenly found himself standing in front of 'Popeye' who looked at him with a huge grin on his face "Hello…I'm Popeye the Sailor man….and who might you be?" 'Popeye' asked, looking Nigel in the eye and turning him around to face Nathan's camera.

"Um…I'm Nigel…pleased to meet you um….Popeye….um Sir!" Nigel said, feeling a little strange, as he'd never met a theme park character before and wasn't sure how to respond.

"Well Nigel…this is Olive Oyl" 'Popeye' said, looking at the skinny lady who was stood right behind him.

"Um…he…hello Olive…um nice to um…meet you too" Nigel said, blushing a little.

"Aww Popeye….he's so cute…I think I'll take him home with me" 'Olive' said, pulling Nigel's left arm.

"You can't do that Olive Oyl….you said you loved me!" 'Popeye' said, pulling Nigel's right arm, while Nathan took photos and laughed.

A large crowd began gathering around as Nigel was comically pulled from side to side by the two characters who, obviously, did the same routine, daily, with various visitors. Naturally it was all supposed to be fun and everyone was laughing, including Nigel, at first, but after a little while, he started to look a little pained as the characters span him around and pretended to argue over him "I um….think you better keep Olive Oyl, Popeye….she's um…a bit too much for me to handle…um Sir" Nigel said, as he freed himself, rushed away and stood behind Nathan.

"Are you OK Einstein?" Nathan asked, suddenly remembering the bruises on Nigel's body.

"Yes I'm OK…they just tugged a bit too hard….oh um…let's move away from here before I get clobbered by him!" Nigel said, looking at a huge man with a beard, who was playing the part of Bluto.

"My goodness yes!" Nathan said, putting his arm behind Nigel's back as he gently manoeuvred him through the crowd "Preston's just over here."

"Hey Podge….did you enjoy that?" Preston asked, as Nigel came out of the crowd without his cap that he'd been wearing all morning.

"Yes…yes it was…um….fun" Nigel replied, feeling very pleased to be in a calmer place and wondering where his cap went!

"They hurt his shoulders pulling him around" Nathan said, as Mrs Jackson rushed over to smooth down Nigel's hair and check he was OK.

"Sweetheart let's go and have a cup of tea…..and perhaps a slice of cake….you didn't eat much for breakfast so you must be hungry….you know Sydney wouldn't want you fading away!" Mrs Jackson said jokingly, although she actually hoped that comment might motivate him to eat.

"Yes nana…I suppose I am a little bit peckish….but if you don't mind….when we've finished eating, I'd like to explore the village…you'll come with me Pres…won't you?" Nigel said, realising that, as there were lots of steps, Mrs Jackson and Nathan wouldn't want to do it, although he really hoped Preston would, as he didn't want to do it alone.

"Excellent idea Podge…then perhaps all four of us can go on the boat trip" Preston said, looking forward to spending some fun time with Nigel, but not wanting to leave Nathan or Mrs Jackson out.

"Preston, it looks like we can get some tea over there" Nathan said, pointing to a very colourful hut with lots of tables and chairs outside.

Having finished their tea, Mrs Jackson and Nathan found a nice shady spot where could sit and listen to music, while Nigel and Preston went off exploring.

Feeling quite excited, they wandered around the interesting little village, taking photos of each other stood outside some of the colourful houses; most of which were empty. However, on closer inspection, one of them turned out to be a gift shop, specialising in expensive bottles of champagne and unusual brands of spirits and soft drinks. Having tasted several types of gin and vodka, Preston was delighted to find, and purchase, three bottles of champagne and a bottle of Nathan's favourite vodka.

After leaving there they went inside a few other houses which were, actually, souvenir shops, specialising in Popeye memorabilia. Once inside they took more photos of each other, this time wearing funny hats and moustaches, which was something Nigel had never done before! Because of this, he could hardly believe that Preston was being so playful, as he'd always been so serious and old fashioned before then. Of course, he had consumed a rather lot of alcohol earlier, which Nigel assumed was the reason for his comical behaviour!

Having laughed really hard at each other's antics, Preston became his serious self again for a few minutes, as he suddenly noticed how red Nigel's face and neck were "you need to get yourself a new cap Podge, otherwise you're going to have one hell of a headache later on….oh and I think you'd better have something to drink too" Preston said, picking up a bottle of water and purchasing it.

Nigel realised his brother was absolutely right and, therefore, having looked through a small pile of caps, he picked out a nice plain navy blue one, feeling a cap with Popeye on it, wasn't quite right for him!

After about an hour though, believing they'd seen and done just about everything, they were surprised to come across a boxing ring, which had a sign next to it saying 'Popeye and Bluto fights daily at 4 p.m.'

"It's only noon Podge, so let's go and have lunch with Nathan and Mrs Jackson and then, if we have time after the boat trip, we can come back here'" Preston said, believing Nigel was interested in seeing the 'fight'.

"Um…actually Pres I don't think I want to be near those two if they're fighting…I might get dragged into the ring!...But if you want to see it you could ask Nathan to go with you….he'll be OK with the steps to this point….I can stay with nana."

"Oh!….Well um….I'm actually not interested either….so we may as well do what we planned earlier….then we'll probably leave the village about 3.30….it's far too hot to stay much longer" Preston said, feeling quite relieved.

"That's fine by me Pres….but um….I'm just going to give Syd a quick call….I promised her I'd ring about this time, each day….but um…you can go back to Nathan and nana rather than wait for me in the midday sun….I'll be along in a little while" Nigel said, dialling Sydney's cell and sitting down under a tree.

"Alright Podge….um…give her my love….but um…..don't be too long…OK? Preston said, hoping that speaking with Sydney wouldn't unsettle him, especially as he'd been so cheerful all day.

"OK Pres…I won't….Oh hi Syd!….How are you?…Is everything OK there?...I miss you" Nigel said, feeling so happy to hear her voice, but wishing he was with her.

"Hi Sweetie….missing you more….I'm fine, but I'm afraid there were a couple of reporters outside my house when I got home….I managed to get the cab driver to pull up around the back though…so I got inside without being seen" Sydney said, still feeling a little annoyed about it.

"But the Dean said they'd gone!" Nigel replied, hoping this wasn't going to further delay his return to America.

"Yeah...he checked the college…but he didn't think about my street….nor yours…oh but I haven't turned my lights since I got back, so they've no idea I'm here….actually I don't think they're out there now….so let's hope they've given up" Sydney said, peeking through the window.

"God I hope they have…I want to see you so badly….even if Malta is nice!" Nigel said, going on to tell her about his morning at Sweethaven and how amazing Preston was when he let his hair down.

"Oh Sweetie I'm glad you're having fun….Oh!…Nearly forgot!…just in case you feel nervous about moving in with me…I'm making up the spare room for you…..but look…..you don't have to sleep there….I hope you'll want to sleep with me...you can make that decision when you arrive; I'll be fine with whatever you choose….OK?" Sydney said, wanting to ensure that Nigel would feel under no pressure when he returns to America and wouldn't agonise over it in the meantime.

"Oh…I hope I'll still want to sleep with you, Syd!" Nigel replied, truly hoping that their time apart wouldn't adversely affect him!

They chatted for a few more minutes and then reluctantly said goodbye, as it was now 6.30 a.m. in Boston, and Sydney had to get ready for work.

Nigel felt a little sad as he made his way back to his 'family', but he was happy to have heard Sydney's voice and thrilled to know that she was preparing the house for his arrival!

Having had lunch and a lovely relaxing boat trip around Anchor Bay, which is where Sweethaven is located, Preston called Doug to come and pick them up. He'd spent the day with some friends, who lived close to Sweethaven, as Preston had given him permission to do that, realising their chauffeur would be bored waiting around for them.

On the way home Preston felt so relieved that Nigel had enjoyed the day, but more importantly, he was thrilled that his shy little brother had let 'Popeye' make fun of him and that he hadn't panicked when that large crowd gathered around. Having watched Nigel throughout the day, it made him realise that, although it had been a very gradual process, his brother really was getting back to normal.

Nigel did his absolute best to enjoy the rest of the holiday, and on some days he actually succeeded, but on others there was nothing anyone could do to fill the void in his heart left by Sydney's departure, although they tried really hard.

Obviously, Sydney and Nigel kept in touch with each other by phone and on Skype, but Nigel desperately wanted hug and kiss her and, as Sydney liked to put it, let nature take its course!

Having been on Malta for almost two weeks, Preston thought it was about time he checked if the paparazzi were still focussing their attention on the Ferreira case, in London and, more importantly, if they were still hanging around the house. However, as he'd wanted to ensure that nobody was reminded of the trial, or the vile people connected to it, he'd banned all newspapers from the Maltese house and they'd watched very little TV.

Realising he had to be sure that it was safe to go home, Preston secretly made a call to Cate, at Interpol, hoping she'd have some news.

Having done a few checks, Cate was pleased to report that things had actually died down quite a bit, in London. However, she felt obliged to report that the odd photo of Nigel and Ferreira was still being printed in the newspapers, although, thankfully, they were no longer on the front page.

Understanding that Preston wanted his 'family' back home, as quickly as possible, and remembering they'd left there in a hurry, Cate volunteered to arrange for the house to be readied for their return. Of course, Preston could have done that himself; although Cate was absolutely adamant she wanted to. When she then advised him that she'd already organised the repair of Nigel's bedroom window and the greenhouse, and that she'd had new alarms fitted to his three garages, Preston believed she must be feeling a little guilty about what happened to Nigel on Gozo; although he didn't say that.

Feeling pretty sure it was safe to go home, Preston gathered everyone together to explain the position. Nathan and Mrs Jackson were quite happy to be leaving, as it seemed to be getting hotter and hotter the longer they stayed. Nigel, however, was rather surprised, as his brother hadn't said a word about it before then "has something gone wrong with one of the businesses Pres?" he asked, looking quite worried, but hoping it hadn't.

"No no…nothing's wrong….it's just that I left quite a few half-finished jobs when we left London and Cate's given me the all clear.…actually Podge…I thought you'd be jumping for joy! You can arrange for your things to be shipped to Boston now" Preston said, giving Nigel a half smile, as he knew he was going to miss him terribly.

"Well….yes I suppose I can….God yes! I can!" Nigel said, realisation suddenly hitting him.

"Right then…..I'll ring Gerard now to find out when he can fly us back to London…..and then….well…..we can both get our lives back on track" Preston said, kissing the top of his brother's head as he got up and left the room.

Nigel looked over at Nathan and Mrs Jackson and smiled shyly "I can hardly wait to tell Sydney I'll be there really soon! You know what nana…Nathan….I…I'm going to….to…. ask her to marry me...one….one day soon!" he said, hoping they'd both be happy about that.

 **Thank you, once again, to Beatrix for your wonderful support and encouragement in respect of this story.**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Having arrived home, two days after getting the all clear from Cate, the travellers received a huge welcome from the staff at the house; all of whom were grateful to have had some unexpected time off work, but were nonetheless glad to have the Bailey brothers back safely. Their cook had prepared a lovely meal for them, believing they would all have missed her amazing roast beef and Yorkshire pudding; as well as her homemade apple pie and custard! Of course, they had, but they'd still loved the food they had on Malta; although they didn't dare tell her that!

Even though Nigel enjoyed the fuss that everyone made of him, all he could really think about was going back to America to see Sydney! His love for her was like nothing he'd experienced before, which was obvious to everyone; especially Preston. Therefore, over the days that followed Nigel, with quite a bit of help from Nathan, arranged to ship all of his new books and many of his other personal possessions to Sydney's house, in Boston.

Prior to booking his flight, Preston insisted that Nigel had a proper check-up with his London doctor, as he wanted to ensure that his brother was genuinely fit enough to return to America. Having been given the all clear, and a few rather painful booster injections, Preston reluctantly picked up the phone and rang the airline. Of course, Nigel could have done that himself, however, Preston had many business contacts at Heathrow and Gatwick Airport, which ensured his friends and family not only got a very good deal on first class tickets, but they were also treated like royalty!

For Preston, the day before Nigel was due to fly back to America, was particularly difficult, as there was no way of hiding the fact he would miss him terribly. Nevertheless, he was determined to give Nigel a wonderful going away party, which he secretly organised, in the library, with lots of help from the cook and Mrs Jackson.

Having gathered together as many people as possible who cared about Nigel, or who'd helped him with the terrible things he'd been through in the recent past, Preston sent Sadie, one of the staff, upstairs to Nigel's room, where he was finishing off his packing "Nigel…Preston needs your help with something…can you come downstairs please?" she said, trying to keep a straight face!

"Oh darn it Sadie!….He knows I'm busy!" Nigel replied, immediately looking embarrassed "Oh um….I…I'm…so sorry…that was rude of me….my mind's all over the place….would you tell him I'll be down in a minute, please?"

"I will…no problem Nigel" Sadie said, understanding why he was a little distracted.

Five minutes later he came downstairs, where Preston met him in the hall "Oh I was just coming up to get you Podge…I have an annoying computer problem I need your help with" he said, leading his brother into the library where he kept his laptop.

"Surprise!" everyone shouted, as the two brothers entered the room.

"Oh my God Preston!….You swine!" Nigel squealed, immediately getting quite emotional as his nearest and dearest gathered around to hug and kiss him and wish him good luck for the future.

Several of the staff gave him gifts and pieces of advice which they personally believed the young man needed. Naturally Nigel listened, as he always did, although he realised, by the way they spoke, they still thought of him as a youngster, rather than an adult. Of course, as many of them were quite elderly, and had known him since he was born, it was difficult for them to see him as anything else, especially when he looked so young.

Nathan, of course, being more like a father to Nigel than a former employee, was caring and direct with his advice. He promptly took him into a corner where he, quite carefully, explained how to take care of Sydney's needs, while he was still actually unable to make love! Naturally, that slightly embarrassed Nigel, but he loved and trusted Nathan and remembered how much the older gentleman had loved and respected Peggy, his one true love, who sadly passed away quite some time ago.

Mrs Jackson hugged him for ages as she was terribly upset that he was leaving again. However, she bravely faced the fact and made him promise to e-mail Preston regularly, keep warm and eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables! Nigel, of course, blinked back his tears and assured her that he'd do his best.

Auntie Alice, who was almost as saddened as Mrs Jackson at the thought of Nigel leaving, pulled him close to her and whispered in his ear "darling don't go rushing into things with Sydney, just because you live with her."

"I….I won't Auntie….you don't need to worry" Nigel replied, hugging her tightly.

"No….I suppose I don't really….Sydney's definitely the right girl for you….she's still waiting so patiently for you to recover from those nasty things….it's just that well…..sometimes…..like the time you tried to make love to Sydney at my house….you don't recognise what you're physically or mentally capable of….and, quite honestly, what you're not….your Nana feels the same way as I do about that darling" Alice said, noticing Nigel looked a little surprised by her comments.

It was pretty obvious to him then that Mrs Jackson must have told her about the awkward, and sometimes wonderful, things she'd witnessed between him and Sydney, while they were on holiday. Naturally, he knew that Mrs Jackson wouldn't have divulged personal things about him, or anyone else, without good reason, but as Alice was obviously worried about him, he believed she'd have done, or said, anything to put her friend's mind at rest.

"I….I suppose your right about me….but um….you're right about Sydney too…so try to stop worrying…..she'll recognise when it's right for us to….to um….be a true couple" Nigel said, hoping that would genuinely be the case, as he blushed bright red again.

Realising how important it was, Preston had asked Nigel's therapist, Nancy, to call in, not only to say goodbye; but also to give him any last minute advice she felt he might need. Of course, she was a little unsure if Nigel was actually psychologically ready to make a new life for himself, with Sydney, as she'd not counselled him for a little while. However, even though she noticed he was a little tense, he was otherwise extremely happy, and Preston wasn't actually against him leaving this time either. Therefore, all she could do was warn him, perhaps a little more professionally than everyone else, to take things very slowly and to listen to his head and his heart! Naturally, she gave him her business card to ensure that, if he was feeling unsure of anything, he could call her.

Having gone to bed at 11 p.m. that night, Nigel couldn't sleep; he was far too excited about seeing Sydney again. His mind kept filling with thoughts of her and the wonderful future he was convinced they'd have; even though he was still a bit nervous about it, right now. Thoughts of his 'family' also invaded his mind, which saddened him a little, as he knew he'd miss them dreadfully.

Nathan drove him to the airport early the following morning, as even though his flight wasn't until 9 a.m. he had to check in by 6. Preston, naturally, accompanied him to make sure everything went smoothly and to enable him to personally explain to the check in clerks that he didn't want Nigel being disturbed by other passengers during the flight. Of course, the moment Nigel walked up to the counter the young female clerks recognised him from the newspapers and immediately understood why Preston was requesting this. They were, of course, only too pleased to promise that the handsome young man would be looked after, and that all of his needs would be met, especially when they then noticed that Nigel was on their top priority VIP list!

Before Nigel made his way to Passport Control, Preston hugged him very tightly and looked into his brother's eyes "now you call me the minute you land, alright?….And you um…..won't do anything you um….shouldn't…..will you Nigel?"

"What do you mean by that Preston?" Nigel replied, realising he was being very serious, as he'd called him Nigel; and he was sure he wasn't talking about intimacy problems, like everyone else.

"Oh Nigel….I mean if you start relic hunting again" Preston replied noticing Nigel looked quite bemused "look...I…I don't want to wake up one morning to find I have a brother with a criminal record! Or worse still…one who's in prison!...Please Nigel….just make sure you and Sydney get the proper permits and do nothing illegal….OK?"

"But Pres…you and I discussed all that after we got back from Brazil…and even the Court Judge eventually understood why we broke into Ferreira's house!….I never meant to embarrass you by the things I did on…on hunts…it's just that Syd and I simply had to do ev…everything possible to…to find the relics and…and then prevent them from being stolen from us."

"Podge….I know all that and I know we've talked about it before….but…but that was when you were so sick it looked like you'd never go relic hunting again…now it's different….you're getting better and you're on your way back to America where you're obviously going to try doing it again! Look I know you did all of those things with the best intentions….but…but sometimes you have to think about what's right for you….and….and your family….not just the relic…alright?"

Nigel thought about what his brother had just said for almost a minute before he was ready to respond, but the fact was, he'd felt morally guilty, many times when he'd broken into places, stolen a vehicle, or knocked someone out! It was just that, on those occasions, he felt he had no choice but to do what Sydney asked of him. Afterwards, of course, she'd always been able to persuade him that, as their opponents were criminals, or very corrupt people, the law was on their side.

"Pres….your right, your right….I know that….but actually I talked to Syd about it a while back…and….and she offered to change things a bit to make it less stressful for me….and safer for both of us….but regardless of that….relic hunting's out of the question for me…at least for now….Sydney knows that too."

Preston looked at Nigel fondly "that's good Podge…I'm glad about that….but no matter whether you start it again next week, or a long time in future….before you do decide to go chasing another relic….I want you to bear in mind everything I've said here today….and the other times as well…so do you promise?"

"I promise Pres" Nigel said, giving his brother another hug "Syd will understand."

Preston smiled at Nigel "I really don't think anyone understands you the way she does Podge….even me…..she knows everything that's happened, yet she's stuck by you through thick and thin….and now…my goodness….she seems willing to change something she loves just for you" Preston said, blinking back the tears "I'm going to miss you so much….but I know….even if you do go relic hunting again…being with Sydney is the only way you're ever going to be truly happy and get completely well again."

"Thanks Pres…I'll miss you too….but you have to stop worrying about me so much….you'll make yourself ill…everything's going to be fine" Nigel said, gently letting go of his brother and moving towards Passport Control "bye Pres; I….I love you."

"Bye Podge; love you too" Preston said, looking around to see if anyone was watching him as he wiped his eyes and nose.

Just over seven hours later Nigel arrived in Boston, having consumed three glasses of champagne, and a bottle of beer. He wasn't exactly drunk, but he was a little unsteady on his feet and felt totally exhausted. Of course, as he was a first class passenger, he knew his suitcase would be brought to him in a lounge, which he was so grateful for right then. Thinking he was going to fall asleep at any moment, he was relieved to look up and see a porter coming towards him with his luggage "I thought you might need this young man" the porter said, handing Nigel a bottle of water.

"Oh gosh…..thank you so much…um…sorry I'm a little um….tipsy" Nigel said, looking slightly embarrassed, as he took several gulps from the bottle.

"That's alright son, you're very welcome….with all you've been through of late you deserve to have a drink or two" the porter said, noticing a look of surprise on Nigel's face as he started pushing the cart towards arrivals "I recognise you from the papers son."

"Oh I…um…see" Nigel said, hoping nobody else would recognise him as he held onto the cart. Once they'd reached arrivals he thanked the porter, gave him a generous tip and took out his phone. Intending to call Preston first to say he'd landed safely and then Sydney, he suddenly felt a hard slap on his behind and squealed out in surprise "Hey! What the…..Syd! Oh Syd….wow!….You said you were swamped with work and couldn't come!"

"I know…I just wanted to surprise you!" she said, as she leapt into his arms and they hugged each other tightly. They continued to hug and kiss for at least another minute when, much to their surprise, they noticed a crowd was gathering around them! Realising they had an audience, who seemed excited to see them, Sydney whispered into Nigel's ear "listen to what they're saying."

They both listened, as they continued to hold each other and they clearly heard one person say "Oh how sweet, that reporter was right…..they're definitely in love" and another say "Oh bless them; do you suppose they'll marry; they'll have such beautiful kids?"

Listening to their comments it became quite obvious that they'd both been recognised from a magazine or newspaper article; which naturally made them feel quite awkward. Wondering just exactly what had been written, they smiled at the crowd, took hold of the trolley containing Nigel's luggage, waved and then rushed out to the car park!

"That must have been some article Nige!" Sydney said as she started up the car.

Nigel nodded "I think there must have been more than one by the way they were talking….they were practically marrying us off!" he said, realising that reporters sometimes make things up to attract readers; although on this occasion he secretly felt rather pleased!

"Yes….yes they were, weren't they?" Sydney said, looking at Nigel sexily.

It took about forty minutes to reach Sydney's home, where she happily helped Nigel carry his bags into the house. Even though Nigel had stayed there before, it felt totally different to him this time, as previously he was just Sydney's assistant, who was there to help her grade papers, or help her with other college work. Now, of course, if he felt confident enough, he could actually share her bed and eventually even make love to her!

"Can….can I….m…move into your room Syd?" Nigel asked, smiling nervously as he remembered she'd given him a choice of rooms.

"My goodness….yes…of course you can….if you're sure….we were alright on Malta though….weren't we?….So we should be OK here….don't you think?" Sydney, uncharacteristically, babbled.

Nigel nodded, but suddenly looked a little concerned as he found himself stood in the doorway of her bedroom and reality hit him.

Sydney immediately noticed how he was gazing wide eyed into the room, just like he did on the first day they met, at Trinity "I bought this new bed for us Sweetie….but honestly….you really don't have to sleep here just yet….not if you're not ready" Sydney said, trying hard to sense what Nigel was actually thinking "but obviously…if you do…it'll still be up to you to make the first move….OK?"

"O…um…K…I'm sure I'll be fine in here Syd um….thanks" Nigel replied, blushing a little as he looked at the bed.

"Just drop your bags over there for now then Sweetie" Sydney said, pointing to the corner of the room "why don't you go and have a nice shower and I'll make you something to eat; I think you need to soak up a bit of that alcohol."

"Oh sorry Syd, I did have a bit more than usual" Nigel said, hoping she wasn't annoyed with him "I usually only have wine with dinner these days….well um….I…I guess you know that…but well…Champagne's one of the perks of first class travel."

"Yeah I know…..Preston paid for a first class ticket for me to fly home….that was so nice of him" Sydney said, noticing Nigel was yawning.

"I'll um….just call Preston before I shower…..he'll already be worrying….you know what he's like…..I was going to call him from the airport but um…..someone sort of distracted me" Nigel joked, remembering how she initially got his attention!

"OK Sweetie….give him my love" Sydney said, as she watched Nigel leave the room and thought what a nice behind he had!

Forty minutes later, hoping he was hungry, she called him to come and eat dinner. However, after five minutes, having received no reply, she went to check on him as the food was getting cold and she couldn't hear a sound

"Nigel!...Dinner's ready" she called out again, as she tapped on the bedroom door and entered. Much to her surprise she found him fast asleep on her chaise longue, wearing nothing but his underwear! He must have been totally exhausted because he still had the hairdryer in his hand, although, luckily, it was switched off. Trying not to wake him, she carefully picked it up and noticed then that he'd laid out a beautiful suit on the bed, which he'd, obviously, intended to wear at dinner.

Thinking how handsome he'd look in that, she began to gaze at his almost naked body and considered, if he put on a little more weight, he'd looked even better like that! She stared at him for quite some time, which was pure torture, as what she really wanted to do was wake him up and make love. Of course, she knew that would be wrong, especially when she'd agreed to keep her distance in the bedroom. Realising then that if he woke up while she was still standing there, he'd feel quite awkward; she gently placed a blanket over the top of him and went back to the kitchen to eat dinner alone.

That night, Nigel woke up on the chaise and for a second he had no idea where he was! However, as the moonlight hit Sydney's beautiful face, he remembered and quietly got into bed and curled up next to her.

He led there for a minute or two listening to her breathing and thought how lucky he was that she was so understanding and caring; although in the back of his mind he couldn't help but think if he didn't get over his anxieties pretty soon, she might give up on him!

 **PLEASE REVIEW, THANK YOU.**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

The following morning Sydney overslept; however, having found Nigel actually lying next to her, she didn't leap out of bed like she normally would; she just led there staring at his handsome face. However, remembering her promise that she'd let him initiate anything sexual, she resisted the strong urge to wake him. Of course, she eventually came to her senses and having given Nigel one last look, rushed off to the bathroom; trying to be as quiet as possible.

Once she'd showered, she crept back to the bedroom, quickly put on some sexy black underwear and sat down to do her makeup.

"Morning beautiful" Nigel said, as he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"Hey sleepy head….I'm sorry if I woke you….I'm kind of late….just need to throw on some clothes and grab a quick coffee" she said, giving him a sad look.

"I wish you didn't have to work today Syd" Nigel said, putting on his saddest expression and cocking his head to one side "I'll miss you."

"Likewise" she said, as she pulled on her smart black trousers and buttoned up her blouse "it's a beautiful day though Nige….so at least the drive to work will be pleasant."

"I suppose so….oh that blouse looks lovely on you Syd….didn't you buy that from Harrods?" Nigel asked, recalling when he took her to his and Preston's favourite store.

"Yeah….I got this and a pale blue one…oh yes….then you bought a shirt in the same shade of blue and Preston insisted you get a new tie to go with it…gosh he's so particular.…but you looked gorgeous!" she said, suddenly looking at her watch "darn….let me get some coffee…won't be a minute."

Having returned to the bedroom a couple of minutes later, she handed Nigel some coffee and kissed him rather gently "just help yourself to anything you want ….remember….this is your home too…bye Sweetie."

Nigel felt rather strange being all alone; as he couldn't even remember the last time he'd been totally by himself. However, realising then that he'd have plenty of time to organise things, just the way he liked them; he began to unpack his cases.

The first things he unpacked were the rest of his suits, which he hung next to the suit he'd intended to wear the previous night. He felt quite excited seeing them hung next to Sydney's stunning evening dresses, most of which he'd not seen her wear; although he certainly hoped he would one day! Of course, he knew she generally hated formal clothes but, obviously, she had no choice but to wear them on occasions.

However, as he began taking out his smart jackets, trousers and shirts from his cases, it suddenly occurred to him that he'd got very little in the way of casual clothes; although he still had some at his old apartment. Naturally, while he was at home, Preston wanted him to dress like a gentleman, which meant most of the clothes he had now were by top designers; which made him look rather stylish.

Thinking about whether or not to just grab a cab and go to his apartment, he absent-mindedly picked up a shirt that Preston had bought him, which filled his heart with joy. Having only briefly spoken to his brother, the previous night, it had really hit home just how much Preston had done for him. He knew there was nothing he could ever do to repay him for that but, of course, he also knew Preston didn't want him to. The fact was, the only thing that either of them wanted from each other, was love and because Sydney had tricked them into going to Brazil, they now had it!

Smiling to himself he tried to think when he'd actually been this happy before, but he couldn't. Of course, several nice memories came into his head, but there was nothing that compared to how he felt right now! Not only did he have the love of his brother, but Sydney, the most amazing woman in the world, loved him too! He immediately wanted to call her to tell her how happy she'd made him, but he stopped himself, believing she'd think he was being silly!

Right at that moment the telephone rang, causing him to jump a little, as the house had been so quiet "hel….hello" he said, rather shyly.

"Hey Sweetie, are you OK?" Sydney asked, noticing he sounded nervous.

"Oh Syd! Yes I'm fine….I…I was um….just thinking about you."

"Ditto!" she said "I was just wondering if you'd like to come and see me at lunch time….you could use the side entrance to get in if you're worried about bumping into too many people….and you can eat in my office….Karen could join us too if you like."

Nigel thought about it for a couple of seconds and then, as reality struck, a few things occurred to him "Um...c…can we leave it for a couple of days Syd….you know….until I'm a bit more settled?….Although um….I'd um….like to meet Karen….and perhaps Dean Bernson as um…soon as possible….so would you mind asking them over for dinner tonight? I just want to break the ice with them be….before I face everyone else at Trinity."

"Sweetie that's a good idea….if you're sure you're up to it….as you say….it'll get two of the most awkward initial meetings out of the way then."

"Yes it will….I…I'm particularly nervous about how those two will react to me if….if they've read the newspapers since the…um….trial …hopefully…this way we can say things privately….rather than in front of half the college."

"OK Sweetie…but don't you worry, no matter what….there's no way I'd allow you to be exposed to so many people at once….look I'll speak to the Dean in a minute and let you what he says…but Karen's here right now….let me just check with her…..Karen are you free for dinner with me and Nigel tonight? You said something about a date earlier….is that tonight?"

"Oh…no...th….that's tomorrow" Karen lied, her eyes lighting up at the thought of seeing Nigel again "I can come…no problem."

"She's free Sweetie….oh….by the way….do you need anything like toothpaste…shampoo….stuff like that? I can pick it up on the way home if you do" Sydney said, thinking how amazing it was that Nigel was finding ways to take care of his problems.

"Well um, I think I have everything like that…but um….I was considering going to my old apartment to get some clothes" Nigel said, hoping she didn't mind as he'd got a lot of things in the wardrobe already.

"Oh Nige….please don't go there on your own….I'll take you tomorrow night…then you can pack everything into my car….oh yes….by the way….did I tell you the college paid your rent while you've been away?" Sydney asked, trying to recall if she had.

"Yes you did….that's actually one of the reasons I want to see the Dean" Nigel said, realising now that although he'd sometimes worried that his ongoing psychological problems might give then cause to fire him, he was, in fact, very well respected at work and they genuinely didn't want to lose him!

"Trinity are good to their employees….well most of the time" Sydney said, smiling into the phone "Dean Barker was a bit niggled that I wanted to leave early yesterday to meet you!...Of course, he soon came around when I explained that you needed to see a friendly face at the airport….well you did….didn't you?"

"Yes….of course I did….I haven't travelled alone for a long time" Nigel replied "I was so happy to see you there Syd, they've no idea how much that meant to me…but I'm sorry Dean Barker was cross with you!"

"Don't you worry about that…oh…sorry Sweetie I have to go now" Sydney said, wishing, as she put down the phone, that she could go home to be with him!

That evening, having called Nigel earlier to tell him the Dean was free; Sydney managed to get home slightly earlier than normal. Naturally, the minute Nigel heard her car he rushed outside to meet her "God Syd… I missed you so much" he said, pulling her into his arms.

"Ditto Sweetie…oh you look so smart!" she said, noticing he was wearing a beautiful suit and tie "this is for you Nige."

"What's this" he asked, taking hold of a large white envelope which he eyed suspiciously.

"Oh probably just your rent bill" she said, walking through the front door and straight into the kitchen.

Nigel opened it as he walked back inside and to his utter astonishment he found it was a card signed by just about everyone at Trinity! 'Welcome Home Nigel' it said on the front, which totally brought a lump to his throat.

"Oh…oh Syd" he said, staring at the card.

She popped her head around the kitchen door "they all missed you Nige; not as much as I did….but yeah….they missed you!"

Nigel smiled "I'll be able to thank them personally in a day or two….um…thanks for bringing it home for me."

"Hey handsome; you're welcome….so are you just going to stand there, or are you going to help me with dinner?" Sydney asked, looking at Nigel's happy face.

"Oh actually, there's um….not much to do…..I've already prepared the chicken and vegetables….it's all in the refrigerator" he replied, standing the card on the table "you just go and pamper yourself; I'll put the meat in the oven."

"Wow, thanks Nige…that's fantastic!" Sydney said, as she happily undid a few buttons on her blouse and headed for the bedroom.

About an hour and a half later there was a loud knock at the door and as Sydney was on the phone, Nigel opened it "hey Nigel, welcome back….my goodness….you look great! I thought you'd look really frail" Dean Bernson said, as he shook Nigel's hand "oh….I was early….so I picked up Karen on the way here."

"Hi Nigel!" Karen said, as she stepped forward and threw her arms around him.

"K…Karen….it's so…so good to see you" Nigel said, as he looked over Karen's shoulder at the Dean, who seemed surprised by Karen's enthusiastic hug. After a few seconds though, Karen let go and pretended not to notice Nigel was blushing.

"Nigel…son….before we go any further….I…I just have to get something off my chest" the Dean said, looking rather embarrassed.

"Um…OK Sir" Nigel replied wondering what on earth he was going to say!

"Look….Nigel….I'm totally horrified by what I've read recently in the papers about you….I knew you'd suffered son….but…but I genuinely didn't realise how much until this last month or so when….when that filthy brute was put on trial!…I'm truly sorry….I….I should have listened more carefully when Sydney was explaining about how traumatised you were...and well….why she wanted to stay with you….had I realised she wasn't exaggerating….I…I'd have cut her more slack…..although….um…in my defence…I was desperately short staffed at those times and….and….I'm not sure if you know….but it was Dean Barker who insisted that Sydney leave you on Malta…not me….I was totally against it by then!"

Nigel stood there for a second, looking quite surprised, as it was obvious, right then, that the Dean was feeling genuinely guilty "Um…I suppose it was a difficult thing to um….understand when you didn't witness what happened in Rio….or um….physically see how I was affected by it…but…but I'm getting better now.…I'm less freaked out by crowds…well as long as I don't feel um….trapped and….and It's a lot easier for me to speak to strangers and interact with my friends now…so don't um….let it worry you anymore….lots of people found it hard to understand how I was feeling….it wasn't just you Sir" Nigel said, hoping the Dean would now relax and enjoy the evening.

Just at that moment Sydney rushed into the hall wearing one of the figure- hugging dresses Nigel had seen in the wardrobe earlier. His heart almost skipped a beat as he gazed at her beautiful body.

"Hi guys…sorry to keep you waiting….why don't you all go through to the living room" she said, waving her arm to show them the way, yet not letting on that she'd overheard what the three of them had said "we can relax for a while before dinner….Nigel had everything prepared before I came home….he's even set the table…and wait till you see how beautiful it looks!"

"Wow Nigel….how domesticated are you!" Karen said, giving him a pretty smile as they wandered into the living room.

"Oh…it's nothing really; it's just that well…..at home my brother, Preston, likes the table properly laid if we have guests….our um parents used to insist on it….I…I just thought it might be nice to do it here" Nigel said, as he waited for the ladies to sit down before he did.

"Is that why you're dressed so beautifully….because Preston still dresses for dinner?" Karen asked, thinking how sexy he looked.

"Um...yes….I suppose so….but um….I haven't got my casual clothes from my old apartment yet…so I've no choice but to wear this kind of thing really" Nigel said, feeling a little awkward.

"Actually Nigel….when you first applied to be Sydney's TA, I realised then that you came from….shall we say…..a rather well off family" the Dean said, looking into the air like he was trying to think of a way to put it "but I'm sorry to say that because of that I actually thought you'd be another spoilt brat, like Claudia!"

Nigel looked a little shocked, but continued to listen to the Dean.

"Of course, that didn't stop me realising too what a great asset you'd be to the college….with your amazing language skills…and, of course, your phenomenal knowledge of ancient history I just had to employ you….but well….now, of course, I realise you're not just a brilliant scholar….you're a totally delightful young man.…and you should be very proud of yourself."

Nigel smiled "Oh…um….thank you Sir….you're um….right about my family…we are qu….quite wealthy….actually that's why I was um…able to go to Oxford University when I was only 15….although if it hadn't been for Preston being so strict, I probably wouldn't have studied so hard….or done so well….my guardians at the University were strict as well….and…a….a bit overprotective" Nigel said, suddenly looking deep in thought.

"Fifteen! Oh my goodness….so that's how you managed to get so many Degrees before you stated at Trinity…I see now" the Dean said, trying to imagine Nigel as a student, although it wasn't that difficult as he still looked so young.

"Well yes…..but…but if I didn't study hard…or if I attempted to slack off….I...I'd soon get punished…I definitely wasn't spoilt" Nigel said, suddenly feeling the need to make that clear.

"No son….I know you weren't….I don't think that now at all….but well….having read what happened to you as a child….I think that's possibly why your guardians….and probably your brother too, were so.…as you put it….overprotective….I think that's also why you're a little shy and became so...shall we say…adventurous, once you arrived in America!" the Dean said, believing Nigel must have had a difficult time being so restricted as a teenager.

"You're um right about that Sir...Preston explained it all to me recently….and…and now I appreciate and understand his motives for the way he raised me….but when I applied for a job at Trinity…I didn't….you see I'd blocked out the worst of what happened to me when I was a little boy….so I thought he'd just been mean…..so um…when I first met Sydney I just wanted to…you know….rebel against how I was brought up!" Nigel said, giving Sydney an embarrassed look, even though, of course, she knew all about that "I'd led such a secluded life at Oxford….so I'd never met anyone like Sydney….and I um….knew Preston would totally disapprove of her...so….well…feeling as I did….I just had to give relic hunting a go...even though I was petrified!"

"Ah yes….I see" the Dean said, looking quite intrigued "actually I remember trying to find you a typical American roommate to share your apartment with you, when you first arrived here….because despite the fact you were helping Sydney find relics all around the world….it was so obvious you weren't exactly…streetwise….I was actually quite surprised when you told me you'd prefer to live alone….most young people not only can't afford to do that….but they prefer having friends around to give them moral support" the Dean said, thinking what a brave young man Nigel had turned out to be.

"I guess I just wanted to show everyone, particularly Preston at that time, that I was an adult...and I could look after myself.….Oh um, that reminds me Sir, thanks for taking care of the rent on my apartment for me; I'll make sure you get reimbursed when I sort out my finances at the bank."

"Oh you take your time son; no rush for that….you just get yourself completely well and then we can talk about it" the Dean said, realising Nigel would have no problem with that.

"Thank you Sir… that's kind of you" Nigel said, as he smiled at the Dean.

However, unbeknown to Nigel, and everyone else, Dean Bernson was actually wondering if Nigel really wanted to return to Trinity; especially as he was so wealthy and seemed to be influenced a lot by his brother, who the Dean believed still probably disapproved of Nigel being there! Of course, he realised too that he'd been wrong about the young man before; so he certainly hoped he was this time too.

After a few more minutes Sydney excused herself to check on dinner and the Dean went to the bathroom. This, of course, gave Karen the perfect opportunity, in a roundabout way, to find out if Nigel still found her attractive!

"So Nigel…how're things going between you and Syd?...The papers made such a big deal of your romance" Karen said, giggling a little, as she loved to embarrass him "I'm joking Nigel….I know your just good friends….even if Syd is calling you Sweetie these days….she knows you need someone younger and more…well…down to earth…..besides….if things had actually changed….she'd have told me."

Nigel felt rather uncomfortable by Karen's comments and immediately remembered then that, not long ago, Karen had said that she believed a romantic relationship between him and Sydney was doomed!

"Oh um you…you're wrong Karen….we…we are romantically involved….we have been for a while now…but um….neither of us really wants to discuss it with anyone else….I'm…sorry" he said, noticing the pretty blond looked surprised and upset.

"Oh….so you're not just convalescing here…you're actually living together as…as a couple?" she said, hoping that, in fact, she'd misunderstood what he said.

"Um….well….both really…but as I said…we don't want to discuss it" Nigel said, hugging a cushion tightly and counting his blessings that this conversation didn't take place at work!

Just at that moment Sydney popped her head around the door "dinners ready you two" she said, noticing Nigel immediately jump up and rush towards her with a slightly flushed and embarrassed expression on his face.

Once they were in the dining room Sydney stood at the head of the table next to the Dean "doesn't it look beautiful? Nigel's so amazing….he's gonna make someone a wonderful husband!" she said, giggling a little and indicating with a wave that everyone should sit down.

Nigel blushed again and gave Sydney a heart-warming smile, while Karen simply sat there, secretly feeling jealous. Of course, now as Karen looked around she realised that Sydney was openly fitting in with Nigel's lifestyle, rather than the other way around, which was something she thought she'd never see!

"As they sat around the table making small talk, Sydney noticed that Karen was no longer being her bubbly self and that she'd given her and Nigel one or two rather unhappy, glances. Of course, she realised then that either Nigel had told her they were in love, or she'd guessed. Naturally though, because she knew how Karen felt about them as a couple, she had no intention of explaining why she'd not been more upfront and open about their relationship; she simply believed that Karen was just going to have to come to terms with it….or be forever unhappy.

Once they'd finished dessert and had some coffee, the Dean noticed how late it was getting and decided he'd better go home. Karen was beginning to look a little tired too, although that was probably because she'd had too much wine!

"Let me help you with your jacket Karen" Nigel said, placing it loosely over her shoulders, which was how she'd arrived.

"Thanks….see you soon Nigel" she said, kissing him gently on the cheek "I….I hope everything works out for you two….I'm….ah….actually thinking of moving on with my life too….the um science department need a new PA….and they've said the job's mine if I want it."

"Karen! I thought you were going to turn it down and stay with me!" Sydney said, ignoring the fact that she'd directed her comments to Nigel.

"Well I guess everything changes at some point Sydney….I think I should probably try something new….Professor Chang's going to be so happy when I tell him I'm joining his team….I'll get the opportunity to travel to Japan with him" Karen said, shrugging her shoulders and looking to see if her bosses were actually upset "you'll find a new PA….I'm sure."

"Well….O..K….but we'll talk tomorrow….I won't try to stop you if that's what you really what to do, Karen…..but I'll give you an excellent reference if you've genuinely thought it through….alright?" Sydney said, suddenly realising she would actually be quite hard to replace!

"Thanks I…I'd appreciate that…so will I get a reference from you too Nigel?" Karen asked, just for effect.

"Of course you will….but you probably won't need it if the job's already yours" Nigel said, opening the door and pulling Sydney close to him "see you soon Karen…night Sir."

Having closed the door behind them Sydney turned to look at Nigel "Sweetie you did brilliantly! I know that was just two people but you handled it amazingly well…I kind of think the Dean was a bit insensitive though…you know…talking about what he'd read in the papers and his opinions about you when you first arrived at Trinity…oh and Karen…well…you know she's always had the hots for you!" Sydney said, noticing Nigel blush.

"The Dean was a bit direct…but he meant well I suppose….at least the ice is broken though before I actually start working again….and…well….as for….um….Karen….she's never going to be the right girl for me Syd…no matter what…but you certainly are!" he said, giving her a huge smile.

Realising he'd gotten through the evening without getting too upset, or running away, Nigel felt relieved and happy. He just knew that everything was going to be alright and that returning to Trinity was going to be a good experience; especially as, having read that lovely card, he knew how much they'd missed him.

Smiling at Sydney he suddenly felt deeply happy and began kissing her quite passionately. He knew what she wanted, and he wanted it too, but he also knew he had to be careful. However, within ten minutes he realised it was now or never and started to lead her to the bedroom!

"Are you sure Sweetie…really sure" Sydney asked, stoking the hair off his face and looking into his eyes.

"Yes Syd…I…I'm sure" he said, pulling her gently towards the bed

 **HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS STORY – PLEASE REVIEW.**


	8. Chapter 8

**REMINDER: Sydney and Nigel tried to make love some time ago, at Auntie Alice's house, in London. Nigel, however, totally freaked out while they were attempted it, and suffered further psychological problems.**

 **CHAPTER 8**

Sydney was ecstatic; she'd waited so long for Nigel to be well enough, both physically and mentally, to make love to her and now it seemed that day had come!

However, having literally fallen onto the bed together, fully dressed, they both, unfortunately, remembered their last distressing attempt at making love. Sadly though, Nigel's deepest concern wasn't that actual memory, it was that he might suffer horrible debilitating flashbacks again while they were making love!

Sydney, of course, knew that Nigel would still find it difficult blank out what Maria had done to him, although she could tell, right then, that he was determined not to let that stop him! Naturally though, she wanted to ensure he wasn't being just a little bit optimistic, bearing in mind he'd been drinking.

"You OK Sweetie?.…Are you absolutely sure about this?" she asked again, as she stroked his hair and kissed his face.

"Y…yes Syd I…I am" Nigel said, his eyes filling with tears and looking very serious "but I….I"

"Hey Sweetie…it's OK...it's OK" she said, stroking his face again and smiling sweetly.

"Oh God Syd….would….would you mind ta….talking to me for a while….it…it'll help keep my mind….um…focused on you" Nigel said, realising that most girls would be terribly offended by that comment, but believing Sydney wouldn't.

She instantly understood that he needed to feel safe and that her voice speaking gently would help eliminate any lingering memories of Maria's abuse; at least for today anyway.

"Of course I will Sweetie….I love talking to you….now you get yourself nice and comfortable" Sydney said, very calmly, as she stretched her arm around the back of his head to enable him to lean on her shoulder. Having made sure she had his full attention, she began talking about how she saw their future together, which soon brought a smile to Nigel's face.

"Oh Syd…Sydney….I love you so much….you're everything to me….everything" he said, stretching his arm around her waist.

Sydney smiled, kissed him gently on the lips and then gave him a rather devilish stare. Nigel wasn't sure what she was about to do, but he knew it was going to be fun! The next minute she began to tickle him! He squealed and tried tickle her ribs as they giggled and rolled around on the bed. Although Nigel didn't realise it, Sydney was actually hoping that being silly would completely relax him and that nature would, eventually, take its course!

After a few minutes though, the giggling stopped and they began to kiss quite passionately; but nothing really serious seemed to be happening. Realising then that Nigel was simply out of practice and needed a little help, she skilfully pulled him up onto his knees, leaned forward to expose her cleavage and took off his jacket and tie. Kissing him sweetly on the forehead, she undid his shirt buttons and pulled his shirt backwards, all the way down his arms, where he slipped it over his hands. Nigel shrieked nervously, kissed her sweetly and rolled his eyes in delight; making him look a little drunk!

Having noticed the happy expression on Nigel's face and that he was now visibly aroused, Sydney hoped he'd take the initiative and start to undress her. Of course, unbeknown to Sydney, he'd wanted to do that since she took off his tie, but, of course, Nigel being Nigel, he felt the need for permission!

However, as he looked into her eyes he suddenly felt her hands gently lifting his and guiding them to the back of her head. Realising then what she wanted, he nervously took hold of her zip, kissed her face and neck, and put his right arm around her waist. Pulling her close, he awkwardly unzipped her dress with his left hand, until it was right the way down her back; then he gently slipped it over her shoulders. His heart was racing franticly when he saw her black lacy bra, which he clumsily undid, with her assistance, and tossed it on the floor!

Realising then that Nigel would need more help, Sydney led down on her back, raised her hips and gave him the perfect opportunity to pull off her dress and slip it underneath her body. Repeating that process he anxiously took off her panties and dropped them on the floor, right next to her bra and dress.

Looking up at the man she loved, Sydney quickly unzipped his trousers and pulled them down to his knees, whilst simultaneously checking he was still totally happy "my sweet adorable Nigel….you're just so perfect" she said, having pulled off his underwear and looked at his beautiful body "take me now Sweetie….now!"

"You're the perfect one Syd" Nigel said, kicking his trousers onto the floor, as he took a deep breath and led down next to her. Having shut off everything in his mind, except for what he was about to do, he took her into his arms, kissed her passionately and moved on top of her.

"Oh my God Syd….I just love you so much!" he said excitedly, as he caressed her breasts and eventually penetrated her. She responded with cries of delight, and stroked him all the way down his back, whilst skilfully trying to prevent him from associating that with Maria's sickening touch.

He made her feel so deeply loved and cared for, something no other man had ever done; in fact it was obvious to her, right then, that she'd always been with the wrong type of man.

In return she made him feel whole again, which boosted his confidence and permitted him to fully appreciate the joys of being with a woman as wonderful and considerate as Sydney.

After about an hour, they both felt happy and content, although, naturally, they were quite exhausted and soon drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

The following morning, when Sydney awoke, she found herself alone, although she wasn't upset at all, because Nigel had had no nightmares and there was an amazing aroma of bacon wafting in from the kitchen! She led there for a couple of minutes considering whether to go and help with breakfast, when suddenly the door opened.

"Morning sexy lady" Nigel said, smiling widely as he put down a large tray at the foot of the bed and rushed up to kiss her.

"Hey.….good morning to you too! Wow, that food looks great! You should have woken me….I'd have given you a hand" she said, as she sat up and leaned forward to kiss him back.

"I think you deserve a little breakfast in bed today" he said, picking up the tray again and placing it on her lap. Having picked up one of the plates that he'd laid out so nicely, he hardly ate a thing; although Sydney soon cleared hers.

"That was delicious Nige; but hey…..why aren't you eating….you're alright aren't you?" she asked with concern, hoping he wasn't feeling uneasy about the previous night.

"Never been more content in my life" he said, his face giving away how happy he was "don't worry….you know my appetite comes and goes….I'll probably be hungry a bit later on."

"You'd better be; you're not permitted to be skinnier than me!" she said, as she laughed and kissed him again.

Having gotten out of bed to place the tray on the dressing table, she turned around and saw Nigel staring at her naked body with a slight look of embarrassment. Thinking that at any second he might avert his eyes, like he used to, she smiled at him lovingly "aren't you going to take advantage of me Sweetie?" she said, giving him a twirl.

"God Syd!…..You're a naughty girl to keep exposing yourself like that!" he said, giggling and putting his hands over his face to hide how red it was "oh…but….um feel free to take advantage of me!"

She didn't need asking twice and positively leapt onto the bed where they made love again, although this time, because she had to work, she couldn't stay and cuddle like she wanted.

Even though Nigel was delighted to have finally conquered his most terrifying psychological problem, he still rather wished he wasn't so shy around Sydney. However, as he led there looking up at the ceiling, it suddenly dawned on him that, actually, shyness, and his gentlemanly behaviour, was probably something that attracted her to him; even if she often teased him about it.

Suddenly feeling more confident again, he jumped out of bed and looked in the mirror. Oh my God, he thought, as he stared at his reflection and saw how dishevelled his hair was and how badly he needed a shave.

Having run into the bathroom to make himself more presentable, he decided to use some of Sydney's favourite shampoo, as he loved its scent and it made his hair look amazing. Once he'd finished that, he wandered into the living room where, to his disgust, he noticed that, in their excitement to make love, the previous night, they'd totally forgotten to clean up! However, as he looked around at the dirty coffee cups and the remnants of food left on the plates, his disgust turned to relief, as he realised then that straightening up the place would give him something to do; even though he found a note from Sydney telling him to 'leave it!"

Having spent a couple of hours sorting things out, he returned to the comfortable living room where he hoped to find something else to do. Naturally, the first thing he noticed was the huge TV, which he switched on, eager to find a good documentary; or something else that would grab his attention.

However, as he flicked through the channels, he became rather distracted by some wonderful images of London which flashed across the screen. They turned out to be part of an advertising campaign to encourage Americans to fly to the UK and visit the capital city. Unfortunately, for Nigel, it had the effect of making him feel nostalgic and rather homesick! Thinking it was ridiculous to feel like this already, he switched off the TV and randomly picked up a CD, hoping that listening to music would take his mind off his home. However, that actually made it worse and eventually he gave into his feelings and picked up the phone.

"Hi Pres; it's only me; is everyone OK?"

"Yes Podge, we're all well here….but um…..there's nothing wrong with you…is there? I didn't expect you to call again so soon" Preston replied, feeling a little anxious and noting how early it was in London.

"Oh no no…..nothing's wrong, I'm just on my own and…and…well I'm missing your ugly face!" Nigel said, jokingly "I wish you could come here for a bit; at least until I go back to work."

"You're not being harassed or intimidated by anyone are you? You're safe…aren't you!?" Preston asked, suddenly feeling the urge to book a flight to Boston!

"Pres….honestly….I'm fine…I'm just a bit bored…Syd's at work and I'm still waiting for the things that Nathan and I had shipped here to arrive….God I can hardly wait to get my hands on them!"

"Oh Podge….don't worry….I'm sure you won't have to wait much longer."

"I hope not…because I desperately need something stimulating to read….my brain's turning to mush!….I've already read the books that Syd has here….and the new books I bought…before we went to Rio…are still in my old apartment."

"Hey you can always go to the library…..visiting places like that….you know.…where there'll be quite a few people…might help you to get used to being around strangers….I know you're getting better….but well….it'll still do you good" Preston said, hoping his brother would take his advice, although secretly, he believed that Nigel would have thought of doing that; but felt too nervous to go!

"Yes I'll um do that….soon….but you're right Pres….I'm improving all the time….in fact, we actually had people over for dinner last night" Nigel said; hoping that would please him.

"Oh God Podge…was that wise?…Sydney shouldn't have had her friends around just yet.…not until you're completely settled" Preston said, feeling a little concerned, even though he'd thrown a party or two for Nigel himself quite recently.

"Um…actually Pres it was my idea….and I was fine….although I only invited Dean Bernson and Karen...but even if it had been Syd's idea…she wouldn't have invited people I don't know….not yet anyway" Nigel said, trying to ensure that Preston realised Sydney wasn't insensitive to his needs.

"Oh no…sorry Podge….I should have realised that…but….um….that was actually…..very brave of you."

"Thanks Pres….but you know the best thing about last night wasn't the dinner….it was the way Sydney made me feel comfortable...she saw I was wearing a smart suit and tie and immediately realised that the Dean and Karen would probably just wear smart/casual clothes…so without me even asking….she put on the most stunning evening gown!" Nigel said, recalling then what an eventful evening it turned out to be!

"Goodness Podge I'm so delighted you're behaving like a Bailey this time around…. and that Sydney's showing what a lovely lady she actually is...I thought she looked beautiful on the rare occasions she wore a dress here…she's definitely becoming more like the type of woman mother would have approved of….in fact I think she'll make a stunning bride for you one day!" Preston said, trying to imagine his little brother in top hat and tails!

"Oh um…y...yes….she certainly will!….But um...about me behaving like a Bailey…I…I'm sorry Pres….but occasionally I need to wear casual things…like when I'm at work…or….or if I decide to go relic hunting….or even do some gardening…that's um….why I'm getting my old clothes from my apartment tonight" Nigel said, hoping he wasn't worrying his brother by some of those comments, but feeling the need to be honest.

"Oh well….I suppose if you really must have them….you must…but Podge…please….please promise me you're not considering going relic hunting again…at least not for a very long time!"

"Oh God Pres no...I told you before….I won't be doing that for ages and ages! But at least I'll have something to wear when I do."

"Actually then…why not buy some nicer outfits for work….perhaps some good quality smart/casual things….rather than use your older clothes….you could keep that for relic hunting and gardening….but um…..when you come home….I'd um….definitely like to see my handsome, smartly dressed little brother, not the scruffy little tyke you became the last time you worked there" Preston said, immediately realising that it was actually none of his business anymore what Nigel wore.

Nigel took no offence at his comments, as he knew now that his mother and father would have felt the same "I might do that Pres….but I couldn't afford to buy what you mean by smart/casual clothes back then…it's strange though….these days I actually feel more like me when I'm smartly dressed….I suppose that's because most of my life I dressed that way" Nigel said, feeling a little embarrassed about the rebellious way he'd behaved when he first came to America and met Sydney "But…um…actually I think Syd's starting to enjoy dressing up too now."

"Ha ha….I think there's hope for the pair of you yet then Podge!" Preston joked "but seriously…I can see now how you're both making small compromises to keep each other happy….and so that you'll fit in with the other's usual lifestyle…that shows real commitment Podge….strange though….I didn't always think that you two were suited….but…I do now!"

"I'm so glad Pres….of course it's true...keeping the person you're in love with happy…is always going to be give and take.…although sometimes it's nice not to shave!" Nigel said, immediately realising Preston wouldn't exactly approve of that.

"Now don't be lazy old thing" Preston said, immediately remembering then just how strict he'd been with Nigel when he was younger and wishing he'd let him wear jeans and get dirty like other boys.

"I…I didn't mean that literally Pres" Nigel said, not wanting to upset his brother "that was just an example!"

"That's alright Podge…I get it….you mean that even if it's something you wouldn't generally do….you'd do it to please Sydney."

"Well yes….yes that's right….and she'd do things for me….like maybe….um…wear her hair a certain way."

"Ah yes yes….…..so um…apart from the lovely dinner party…I doubt you've had time to do anything else since we spoke yesterday" Preston said, simply because he didn't want to terminate the call just yet.

"Um…well….act…actually…...Syd….Syd…and I…well…we…we...um…..made love last night" Nigel said, realising that, deep down, Preston had been worrying that what happened in Rio might force him to lead a life of celibacy.

"Oh my God Podge…are you alright!?" Preston screeched; his heart beating frantically and believing that, psychologically, that might be the real reason for Nigel's call!

"Yes I am Pres…I remembered what Nancy said...and Syd was so supportive and understanding…I don't think anyone else would have been as patient and reassuring as she was" Nigel said, hoping his brother would be happy for him.

"Podge…I'm stunned….but if you're alright…and….and you had no flashbacks….or nightmares….that's so wonderful!...So so wonderful!...Oh but Podge you will remember that Nancy was adamant that you mustn't allow yourself to be pressurised into making love….not even after you've become experienced."

"Yes Pres….I remember…..she also said I have to be relaxed and in a place where I feel safe and comfortable."

"That's right….now you won't forget will you Podge?" Preston said, feeling truly happy that Nigel had made love to Sydney; but wanting to protect him.

"No Pres….I won't….I remember she told me that even if I've been with the same woman several times….I could still occasionally have flashbacks….but look Pres….I know the horrors that Maria put me through won't just vanish…but at least I know now I have a chance of a normal life….I know Sydney will understand if I have a few setbacks."

"I'm really so delighted for you Podge….now I'll have the chance to find a nice lady for myself" Preston said, without thinking.

"Oh Pres I...I'm so sorry….I've been horribly selfish" Nigel said, remembering his brother had given up so much to look after him.

"Hey…Podge….no you haven't! Anyway….I didn't mean it that way….I just meant I need to start looking for someone to share my life with too…..I miss you just as much as you miss me….and well….I don't ever want to be lonely again….actually though…..now you've started on the road to a full recovery…..we both need to think about having children….you know….heirs to our fortunes!" Preston said, sounding very serious.

"Um….um y…yes…I suppose we do…ev….eventually" Nigel said, just as someone knocked on the front door "Um sorry Pres….I have to go….you'll have no problem finding a nice lady….I know the real Preston now….and he's a good man….speak to you soon…bye."

Nigel rushed to the door only to find it was two men from the courier company with the things he'd had shipped from England!

"Oh….brilliant! Can you put the crate over there please?" Nigel said, pointing to a corner in the hall, where they placed it and started to leave. Feeling very excited he gave them a huge tip, closed the door, and then instantly opened the lid. The first things he picked up were a couple of his favourite books and then some photographs; which were right at the top of the crate. He then delved a little deeper and located his laptop, camera and the amazing jewel encrusted dagger that he'd received for his birthday; all of which appeared to be undamaged.

Feeling really happy he spent the next couple of hours flicking through the pages of his books and putting them in some sort of order. He then, rather emotionally, looked at some beautifully framed family photos and a large photo album, before searching for places to put them. Of course, it wasn't easy to shake off the sadness he felt when looking at photos of his parents, although regardless of that, he simply had to have them with him.

After a little while, having found lots of little things that made him think of the past, another twinge of homesickness hit him, although that was instantly forgotten as the phone rang and annoyingly made him jump!

"Hello the Fox Bailey residence…can I help you?" Nigel said, rather formally.

"Oh Fox Bailey….that sounds cute! Hey Sweetie it's just me" Sydney said, sounding amused, but in a bit of a rush "just wanted to quickly make sure you're alright and to see what you'd like for dinner."

"Hi beautiful…I'm….fine….um dinner…um…lets have Chinese…I know you like that" Nigel said, remembering they'd enjoyed that kind of food together plenty of times, and that she'd had dinner his way the previous night.

"Oh…Chinese….yes, that'll be great…..I'll pick up the usual….from Wang's…on the way home….then after dinner I'll take you over to your apartment…OK…see you later Sweetie" she said very quickly before putting down the phone.

Snuggling into a large comfortable cushion, Nigel spent the rest of the afternoon reading a brand new book on the life of Cleopatra, which he found totally engrossing. It even mentioned the jewellery box in which Claudia had so miraculously discovered a secret compartment, a few years ago!

When Sydney arrived home carrying their dinner, Nigel kissed her lovingly and placed the boxes of food on two trays "Syd….I…um…thought we could watch the news in the living room while we eat this…but um…do you mind if we use proper cutlery?" Nigel said, running over to the drawer where they were kept.

"Of course not Sweetie….actually….if you prefer….we can put the food on china plates and eat it in the dining room….I really don't mind" Sydney said, genuinely feeling happy to do whatever he wanted.

"Oh um…well no…let's keep it simple tonight…like the old days…but um….I would like to eat in the dining room sometimes" Nigel said, picking up his tray and walking into the living room. Sydney immediately did the same, thinking to herself what a wonderful guy he truly was.

As they sat there eating their delicious food, Nigel didn't mention he'd spoken to Preston earlier, as he didn't want Sydney thinking he felt unsettled; especially after what they'd done the previous night! Of course, he couldn't hide everything he'd done that day, as it was pretty obvious he'd cleaned up; when she told him specifically not to! However, he rather enjoyed the playful scolding she gave him for his disobedience!

Having chatted for a while about Sydney's busy day, Nigel suddenly remembered something "Oh by the way Syd" he said, going on to explain how overjoyed he was to have received his personal belongings "I hope you don't mind but I put some of my books in the cupboard next to the bathroom….but um….it's nearly full now so I'd um…..better buy a new cupboard….there's plenty of room in the hall."

"Sweetie of course I don't mind….but there's no need to buy another closet…not yet anyway….your books will be fine in there…..but when you get more you can always leave them on the coffee table, or leave them in a pile in the corner" Sydney said, noticing Nigel didn't look too happy with that "I suppose you're thinking that'll look untidy."

Nigel smiled at Sydney "Well…um…yes….but actually I just don't want to take up all of your storage space….nor clutter up the living room."

"Nige we can throw some of my old junk out to make room for your stuff…but wherever you want to put your things will be OK...honestly it will" Sydney said, watching Nigel smile sweetly.

"Oh well alright….I've um…..put my laptop on your desk" Nigel said rather quickly, feeling now that she genuinely wouldn't mind.

"That's great!….We can surf the net together…..and we can talk on Skype…. just like we did when I left you in London and Malta."

"Yes…yes we can….and I can speak to Preston, nana and Nathan too...um…..every now and again" Nigel said, still being careful not to make her think he was homesick or unsettled.

"Anyway Sweetie…forget about that for now….we really need to get over to your apartment….I'll clean up here when we get back….and you sort out your stuff."

"Um Syd; do you mind if we tidy up now, it'll be much nicer when we come back; it'll only take a few minutes" Nigel said, gathering the empty cartons together and putting them back on the tray.

"Oh…OK" Sydney replied, picking up her tray and noticing a look of surprise on Nigel's face, obviously because she'd immediately done as he'd asked!

"I love you Syd" he said, recalling his conversation with Preston, earlier and realising he was right, as all they really wanted to do was please each other.

Ten minutes later, having sprayed the house with some fragrant air freshener, and put the cartons into the bin, they got into Sydney's car and drove to Nigel's apartment. However, as Nigel nervously turned the key in the lock, he suddenly felt a little apprehensive "I….I bet it's dusty" he said, remembering the last time he was there; which was, obviously, before they flew off to Rio "I'll probably have to give the place a good spring clean."

"It doesn't matter about that Nige…you won't be moving back here…at least I hope you won't!" Sydney said, as she walked into the small apartment that Nigel had rented for the past couple of years.

"Actually Syd you're right!" he replied, suddenly feeling excited, as it dawned on him then that, even though he loved living at Sydney's house, he could actually afford to buy a much larger one now; for them to live in!

Giving the apartment a quick look over, Sydney immediately noticed how tidy it was, with not a cup or a plate on the drainer, nor a cushion out of place. Even the bathroom towels were still hanging neatly and the bed was made up, just like you'd find in a five star hotel!

Nigel was, obviously, right about the dust, which instantly made them sneeze when he picked up a backpack that he'd left on the hall table, the last time he was there.

"This is the bag I kept packed for winter relic hunts Syd" Nigel said, holding it up in front of him.

"Yeah I recognise it Sweetie…you're so darn organised and super tidy…no wonder it never took you more than ten minutes to be ready for an unscheduled hunt….oh now….let me see…are those things that you kept for me still in the bag?" Sydney asked, laughing at Nigel's face as she pulled out a little plastic box, with a sticker on top saying, 'Syd's feminine products.'

"Oh Syd!" Nigel said; blushing bright red as he recalled the many times he'd actually had them in his pocket; when she'd nowhere to keep them!

"So I guess your summer backpack was disposed of with all the other things you took to Brazil" Sydney said, giving Nigel a sympathetic smile as she put the little box back in the bag.

"Yes it was...actually though…I don't really want this one anymore either…they both hurt my back and shoulders…so um….if I need backpacks again….I'll buy a couple with better padding" Nigel said, putting the bag back down.

"Good idea Nige…now….let's just leave it there and get your clothes sorted" Sydney said, as she wandered over to his wardrobe and opened it up "Nigel! I think I need to let you loose on my closet; this is amazing!"

"What is?" Nigel replied, wondering what she meant.

"The way you've organised your clothes!" Sydney said; flicking through the bottom rail, on the right, which held some beautiful shirts, all neatly hung on wooden coat hangers.

"Oh um….I just like to be able to find things quickly" Nigel said, realising that not everyone was as tidy as him and hoping she didn't think he was weird!

"Well you can certainly do that" Sydney replied; looking at a row of casual work shirts and trousers, hung on the bottom left.

"I'll take some of those Syd" Nigel said, picking up a rather nice dark blue shirt.

"Yes…that's nice….oh…but do you ever wear those Nige?" Sydney asked, stretching up to the top rail where his suits and smart trousers were hung "I've never seen you wear them."

"Well um….I wore some of the trousers to work a few times…Preston actually bought them for me when I was at Oxford….I only brought them to America really because…well….at the time…I had nothing much else to wear" Nigel said, as he took out several tee shirts and some underwear from a drawer.

"I guess those clothes at the bottom are the casual things you bought before you started at Trinity" Sydney said, recalling what Nigel had said about rebelling against his upbringing.

"Yes they are…most of them I only got the day before...but you know what Syd….I won't really need those suits anymore…I have some nicer ones now….I'll just take my casual things…oh and my books and photographs….of course."

"Right Nige…let's get this done then" Sydney said, removing some of the clothes that Nigel indicated he wanted. They both began placing them in a large suitcase, although he certainly folded them neater than Sydney did! However, as he noticed some of the sizes, he began to wonder if he'd actually be able to wear them anymore, bearing in mind he wasn't back up to the weight he was, prior to going to Rio, even although he looked just fine.

"Have you got everything Nige?" Sydney asked; sneezing again as she watched him place what looked like the last of his books inside another suitcase.

"Um….yes I think so" he replied giving the living room quick once over.

"OK then Sweetie…let's go; I just remembered I have some papers to grade tonight" Sydney said, looking at Nigel who seemed rather distant "Sweetie, you're not thinking about cleaning the apartment, are you? That'll take hours."

"Oh…..um no…no I um….just feel a bit um…..nostalgic…I really liked this place and the landlord was very kind to me" he said, although it was obvious he hated seeing the dust everywhere!

As soon as they got back to the house Nigel put the clothes in the washing machine and took a few of his beautifully framed photos into the living room.

"Syd….I'd like to put this photo next to the one of you with your dad and Jenny…um please?" he said, looking sadly at the picture he was holding.

"Sure Sweetie….as long as you don't get upset every time you look at it!" Sydney replied, noticing it was a lovely family photo of Nigel, Preston and their parents.

"I won't….I just haven't seen this one for a long time…we all look so happy….and Preston looks like dad here….don't you think?" Nigel said, holding the photo up so that she could see.

"Wow…yes he does…but you know what….you look like your mom!"

"I suppose I do….um…I have a few more photos I'd like to display….they came in the crate today…do you think they'll look OK over there?" Nigel said, pointing to the sideboard which already had some photos of Sydney and her family on it, as well as a few of his family, that he'd put there earlier that day.

"Sure…they'll look really nice….let's mix the families up a bit" Sydney said, looking lovingly at Nigel "now Sweetie, I'm sorry…. but I really have to get these papers graded.

"I'll um…give you a hand Syd….there'll be more time for um…other things then!" he said, giving her a cheeky grin.

"Nigel Bailey!...What do you mean?" she said, trying to look serious.

"Oh…um…I didn't…." Nigel replied, not sure if she was joking, at first, but realising, quite quickly, that she was.

"Oh God Nige….you're so darn gorgeous when you blush!"

"You're a cruel woman Sydney Fox!" Nigel replied, giving her a fake glare! "So um….can I help?"

"Actually Sweetie….I'd appreciate it...if you're sure….especially because I love doing those other things with you" she said, handing him a small pile of rather scruffy looking papers and winking at him.

Nigel laughed "Oh…I'm very sure Syd!"

Having graded the papers in double quick time and placed them in Sydney's briefcase, ready to take to work in the morning, Nigel made some hot chocolate, plumped up the cushions on the sofa, and they cuddled for a little while.

Sydney was in heaven as she kissed Nigel, who still responded as she hoped, with no sign of anxiety or stress. However, as the evening progressed she suddenly noticed he started to look a bit distracted "you OK Sweetie?" she asked, hoping he was just feeling tired.

"Oh…yes um….sorry Syd….I was just thinking about Trinity….I rather enjoyed marking those papers…and um….I know I have my books now to stop me getting bored….but um…..actually I was just wondering….if um….if I could spend an hour or two with you at work tomorrow" he said, noticing Sydney looked a bit surprised.

"Nigel you thought it was too soon yesterday" she said, wondering why he'd changed his mind so suddenly.

"I know but um….I just want to be close to you!….I…I don't want to meet anyone else though…not yet…although if Karen….or even the Dean want to say hi…that'll be OK...you know…since I've already spoken to them…I just want to see how I feel when I'm in the building….I really need something stimulating to do…even if it's just for an hour or two" Nigel said, hoping he wasn't trying to run before he could walk!

"Well…Sweetie….if you're absolutely sure….and I mean absolutely sure...I have some relics that need authenticating….that might make you feel better…but the problem is…if you come with me to work in the morning….I won't be able to bring you home until lunch time…do you think you'll be OK until then?" Sydney asked, worrying that it might be too much for a first attempt.

"I…I think so….I can work in the store room where you keep the relics….nobody generally goes in there but you….and me" Nigel said, thinking how fantastic it would be to help Sydney, but feeling nervous as well.

"Well…alright then! If you're absolutely certain you'll be OK…..we can get there really early…..and sneak in before anyone else arrives….oh but you'd better take some cushions off the sofa to make that hard chair more comfortable…..and perhaps a flask of tea and some cookies…just in case you get hungry...OK?"

"That's a great idea Syd…thanks….but um…you will come in to see me every now and again won't you?….I don't want to be alone all morning as that kind of defeats the object" he said, cocking his head to the side in that most endearing way.

"Of course I will…I only have one class in the morning and a short meeting….so I'll pop in and out as much as I can…oh but don't forget your cell phone, just in case you start to feel uneasy" Sydney said, kissing him on the lips as he leaned his head against a large cushion.

"OK Syd" Nigel said, giving her an adoring look, which she immediately interpreted as "let's go to bed!"

 **Thank you for reading my story….I just wish you'd tell me if you like it, or even clicked into one of the boxes. So few reviews seems to be making people steer away from reading this….unless you know of any other reason this sequel is so unpopular compared to Brotherly Love and Kidnapping. I love your reviews though Beatrix!**


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

Both Sydney and Nigel got up early the following morning, as they hoped to arrive at Trinity without being seen. Nigel was, unfortunately, still feeling a little nervous about what the day would bring, even though it was his idea to go there in the first place!

In the recent past too he'd had anxious thoughts about how he'd cope with his return to Trinity; mainly in relation to his ability to deal with a stressful job. However, the previous night most of his thoughts were about how his colleagues and the students would react to him as, obviously, most of them would have heard about his childhood trauma and the terrible events in Rio.

Having crept through the back entrance of the college so early, they were shocked to discover Dean Bernson stood outside the ancient studies office with the key in the lock! "Oh good heavens!" he said, almost dropping his book "you're early Sydney…I was going to leave this novel on your desk…you mentioned you wanted to read it."

"Well thank you….that's kind of you" she replied, noticing the Dean was looking rather curiously at Nigel.

"What…what are you doing here!?….Do you feel confident enough to be at work already!?" he asked, as he handed the book to Sydney and placed his hands on Nigel's shoulders.

"Well…um sort of…but I'll um….only be here for a few hours….I…I'm just going to authenticate a few relics in the store room….then Sydney's taking me home at lunch time…..y…you won't tell anyone I'm here will you Sir?" Nigel said, looking a little worried.

"No….no of course I won't…..I realise you'll want to be left alone…but…well...I have to say…I think you're being very brave….but….of course…if you do feel the need to leave earlier than planned…just give me a call…alright? I can take you home" the Dean said, smiling at both of them.

"Thank you Sir" Nigel said, as the Dean turned around and left.

Hoping no one else was around, they walked into the office where Sydney placed the book on Nigel's desk and looked at him "is it good to be back Nige?" she asked, noticing he was smiling.

"Um yes…you haven't changed much" he replied, picking up his little Union Jack flag, which he waved happily.

"Well I moved your desk into my office a while ago...but then I realised it would be some time before you'd use it….so I put it back out here…..we can move it in again when you come back full time….that's unless you'd prefer to work out here" Sydney said, giving Nigel a sexy look.

"Oh no…I'd um…like to sit with you please Syd" Nigel replied, thinking how wonderful it would be to have her so close.

"That'll be so great Nige….no more shouting for you to come in….and a bit of privacy for us….oh and I'll be keeping the blinds down!" Sydney said, giving him an even sexier look, before kissing him on the lips.

"I…I guess I'd um…b…better start work then" Nigel said, begrudgingly separating himself from her lips and picking up a few sheets of paper and some pens "would you um…mind walking with me to the store room please Syd? J…just in case I run into anyone."

"No of course not Sweetie" she said, immediately putting her arms around him as they walked to the door.

The moment they reached the store room Sydney pointed out the relics that she needed authenticating and then, having given Nigel a reassuring hug and a gentle kiss, she left him to set up the room exactly as he wanted it.

Nigel, of course, wanted things laid out very specifically to make them easily accessible as he worked. He, therefore, dusted off a shelf and placed all of the relics in a neat row, close to where he intended to sit. He then quickly tidied up the rest of the room and cleaned the top of a large desk, which he pushed close to the wall, so that he'd be seated with his back to it. Having placed his laptop, cell phone and pens and paper on the left side of the desk, he put his flask of tea and snack box on the right, leaving just enough room in the centre to work on the relics.

He'd not been working more than ten minutes when he discovered that one of the 'relics' was a fake! However, after a couple of hours he was totally sure that the next three relics he checked were completely authentic, which thrilled him immensely. Not being able to contain his excitement he grabbed hold of his phone "Syd!" he shrieked "those three small stone statues….you know the ones that look very similar, they're definitely not fakes….they're Incan!"

"That's fantastic! I was so hoping they were…I had my doubts though because I got them from a rather unscrupulous relic hunter…..he wanted to get on my good side!...You know Sweetie…you really are quite brilliant when it comes to knowing what to look for in a relic!….Now…how're you feeling?" Sydney asked, thinking he sounded very happy.

"I'm fine Syd…um….but a little kiss and cuddle would be nice" Nigel replied, although he immediately realised she couldn't just drop everything to come and see him.

"Yeah…I could do with that myself Nige…Karen's just told me she's definitely leaving….I'm not going to try and change her mind as it sounds like she's found an excellent position with professor Chang….it pays really well….that'll mean she can save some money for her brother's college fund…but I will kind of miss her."

"I will too Syd….but I have to admit it'll make things more comfortable in the office for me if she's not there….I do like her…but not in the way she wants me to….oh but um…now you'll have to find a new PA…I doubt she'll be easy to replace."

"I'll get the Dean to find us a temp for a while…you never know….she might be good enough to replace Karen….she's leaving in two days by the way, so I hope the temp will be good!…Now Sweetie, give me ten minutes and I'll come and have a coffee break with you" Sydney said, wishing she could go in to see him right then.

"I'll be waiting Syd" Nigel said, thinking how well the day was turning out.

Just as that thought ran through his head the door suddenly burst open and crashed against a metal shelf! Feeling quite shocked Nigel put his hand on his heart and saw, to his utter horror, a rather large, stern looking woman, dashing towards him! Unfortunately, she wasn't alone as following close behind was another four women and three men, who were all talking loudly as they rushed directly at him "There you are! Come and let me give you a big hug" one of the women said, trying to put her arms around him "I told you young Bailey was in here! He's so brave" another one said, as they began crowding around him.

Nigel instantly turned as white as a sheet and pushed his chair backwards with his feet, causing his head to bash against the wall!

"Ahh!...Go away!...Leave me alone!" he screamed, covering his head with his arms, not just for protection but because he was in pain.

Seemingly oblivious to the mental anguish they were causing Nigel, they continued to crowd around him "oh come on Nigel….we just wanted to say how sorry we are about what those brutes did to you!...Don't be shy….you know me…I'm Professor Pols…I teach economics" she said, trying to stroke the top of his head.

Nigel cringed and his heart started beating really fast as memories of sadistic Maria came flooding back to him.

"Yes Nigel…you're a very brave boy" Professor Grey said, throwing her arms around his shaking body.

Nigel managed to push her away and wrapped his arms around his head again "go away…..don't touch me!" he shrieked.

Luckily the ancient studies office was close to the store room and, therefore, when he screamed, Sydney heard him almost immediately. Shivers ran up her spine as she dropped her pen and dashed to his aid.

As soon as she realised what was happening, she managed to pull away a couple of the professors who were touching Nigel, although not before one of them blurted out "you poor baby….they raped you!"

"OK OK…that's enough! Everyone get out of here now!" Sydney shouted at the top of her voice, wondering how on earth they knew Nigel was in the store room!

"Professor Fox, there's no need to shout; we're just here to welcome him back!" Professor Gladys Blount, the stern looking woman said, rather crossly.

Sydney was furious "can't you see what you're doing!?...He's panic-stricken! He hates being mauled at….and surrounding him makes him feel trapped!" she shouted angrily at the professor, who was patting Nigel on the thigh "look…..I understand you mean no harm but you have to realise he's been through a very traumatic time and by touching him like that you're inadvertently bringing those memories back!"

"Oh….goodness….I'm so sorry…I didn't realise that….in fact none of us did….it's just that he's such a sweet young man…and we wanted to wish him well" Professor Blount said, as she and her colleagues backed away from Nigel.

Sydney immediately knelt down beside him "Sweetie they're leaving now" she said, staring at the professors, who looked rather embarrassed as they moved towards the door.

"We'll come back and see you when you're feeling better Nigel" Professor Blount said, pushing some of the others out of the way.

Once the last person had gone, Sydney put her arms around Nigel "I'll take you home Sweetie…they'll just have to do without me for a while" she said, picking up his flask and noticing he looked a bit disorientated "here Nige…..have some tea with a bit of sugar before we go….it'll make you feel better."

"Th…thanks Syd" he said, looking down at the floor.

About a minute later Dean Bernson rushed into the store room looking a little sheepish "Sydney….I…I'm so sorry….I've just spoken to Gladys Blount in the corridor and she told me what happened in here….I….I'm afraid it might have been my fault!"

"What!...You promised not to tell anyone he was here!?" Sydney said, trying not to get angry again.

The Dean gave her an apologetic look "I know….I know….but well…I had to tell Jean…my PA…she needs to be aware of all staff who are on the premises...you know…..in case of a fire….but even though I spoke very quietly….I unfortunately said it in the staff room where Professor Pols was making tea….I can only think she must have overheard me and spread the news!…..I'm truly sorry."

"I see" Sydney said, realising it was just a simple mistake.

"Um….would you like a lift home Nigel?" the Dean asked, realising he would probably want to get out of there right now. Nigel slowly looked up at him, but before he could reply, Sydney's phone suddenly rang, causing him to almost jump out of his skin!

"Dad! How are you?" she asked, rubbing Nigel's shoulder to calm him down.

"I'm fine Scoochie, I'm outside in my car" Randal Fox said, hoping she'd have time to see him.

"That's great dad….but why didn't you call earlier to say you were coming!"

"I'm actually in Boston on a business…but they've just called to tell me the meeting's been postponed until tomorrow….are you busy right now? Can I come in?"

"Sure dad, come in….wait for me in the hallway outside the office…..I'll be there in a minute" she said, suddenly realising how timely his visit was, as her father could take Nigel home instead of the Dean, who'd have had to leave him on his own, at home.

Having taken a few minutes to park the car and get inside the building, Randal only had to wait about 30 seconds before he saw Sydney rushing towards him with a huge smile on her face and her arms outstretched "Hi dad!"

"Hey Scoochie!" he said, picking her up and swinging her round, just like he used to when she was a child "you look more like you mom every day!"

"Oh Dad…she was far more beautiful than me!" Sydney said, looking at him fondly as she explained what had just happened to Nigel "Um come on dad…..let's go to the store room.….he's still in there with the Dean….but I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you."

Nigel was simply mortified when he saw Randal's face, as it was obvious he knew what had happened. However, he still hugged the older man, who called him son and told him not to worry. Naturally though, poor Nigel couldn't help but think that Randal believed he was a bit of a wuss!

"You still look a bit shaken Nigel" Randal said, pushing the hair back off the younger man's face.

"I'm alright now Sir…but um….the Dean's going to take me home anyway" Nigel said, looking shyly up at the very tall man.

"No need for him to do that son…my car's outside….I'll drive you home….then we can have a bit of a catch up" Randal said, patting Nigel gently on the shoulder.

"Um…al…..alright" Nigel said, trying to stand up straight to show he was fine. Unfortunately though, it was immediately obviously that he wasn't, as he suddenly became very dizzy and almost fainted!

Randal sat him back down "I'm taking you to the doctors young man…you're clearly not well!" he said, looking up at his concerned daughter, who quickly knelt down in front of Nigel.

"Sweetie…dads right….you should see a doctor" she said, looking very anxiously at the love of her life.

"I…I don't need a doctor Syd…..Sir….I just need to lie down for a little while…honestly….I'll be OK….I just had a bit of a shock…that's all….please….I've seen enough doctors to last me the rest of my life!" Nigel said, giving Randal and Sydney a pleading look.

"Alright….alright…but if you don't feel better pretty soon I'll haul your little butt off to the hospital" Randal said, noticing Nigel looked totally mortified. It then occurred to him that if he picked Nigel up and carried him to his car, like he intended, the young man would feel even more embarrassed. He, therefore, bent down, pulled him to his feet, placed his large right arm around Nigel's back and stretched under his arm to support him "will you be alright walking to the car like this son?" Randal asked, looking very serious but realising how self-conscious Nigel was feeling.

"Y…yes…I will…I'm just a bit dizzy Sir?" Nigel said, clinging onto the back of Randal's jacket, as they made their way outside.

Even though it took some time to drive to Sydney's house, Nigel barely said a word, which Randal put down to embarrassment "that must have been horrible having all those people surrounding you like that" Randal said very softly, trying to put Nigel at ease in the hopes he'd open up a bit.

"Y…yes it was S….Sir."

"Perhaps you should ring your therapist when you get home; Sydney told me about her a while ago; she sounds amazing" Randal said, as they turned into Sydney's road.

"I will...um….a bit later."

Randal helped him into the house and onto the bed in the spare room; where he slipped off Nigel's shoes. However, before he had a chance to ask if Nigel if he needed help undressing, the young man just turned over onto his stomach and instantly fell asleep!

Noticing a slight chill in the air, Randal pulled the quilt over the top of Nigel and was about to leave the room when, to his utter horror, he noticed there was blood on the back of the young man's collar!

Feeling quite shocked, he checked the back of Nigel's head and found a bump, the size of an egg, with a cut in the centre that was still bleeding! Realising then that it wasn't just shock that caused Nigel's symptoms and recalling that the young man hated hospitals, he put a wet face cloth onto the bump, found his daughter's address book and called Doctor Beckett, Sydney's physician.

However, having explained who Nigel was, and what was wrong with him, the very busy doctor described to Randal exactly what to do; although he was quite insistent that if the young man got any worse, he should take him to the hospital.

The moment Randal put the phone down he began carrying out the doctor's detailed instructions. Firstly he checked Nigel was breathing properly and then, having cleaned the wound, he wrapped a piece of cloth around a bag of frozen peas and carefully placed it on the lump. Naturally, he considered calling Sydney, but thought better of it when he realised he'd be worrying her unnecessarily, as the likelihood was; Nigel was going to be fine in a couple of hours.

Having sat by Nigel's bedside for about an hour, Randal was relieved when he woke up and asked for some water and painkillers.

"Let me take that wet bag away first….then I'll get you some" Randal said, walking off to the bathroom and returning a minute later with them.

"Why didn't you say you'd been injured Nigel? You scared the life out of me when I saw that bump!" Randal said, handing Nigel some aspirins and water.

"Sorry Sir" Nigel replied, looking away shyly.

"You go back to sleep for a while and I'll come back and see you later" Randal said, looking at the bump again and feeling Nigel's forehead with the back of his hand "you don't seem to have a temperature…so that's a good sign."

Nigel forced a smile "yes…it is and um….the pills will make my head feel better soon too" he said, lying down again and closing his eyes.

A couple of hours later Nigel woke up again and walked a little unsteadily into the kitchen, where Randal was making some coffee "Oh!...Sir, I didn't realise you were in here" Nigel said, holding his hand to his heart.

"Sorry son….I didn't mean to startle you…. are you feeling better?" the older man asked, pouring out two mugs of coffee, which he placed on the table.

"Yes…I am Sir" Nigel said, as he sat down and picked up his drink.

"I've got dinner in the oven…it'll be ready by about six when Sydney gets home….but if you're hungry now Nigel….I can whip up an omelette for you" Randal said, walking towards the refrigerator to find the eggs.

"Oh no Sir, don't bother about that…I'll wait for Syd to come home….um perhaps I'll have a cookie with my coffee though" Nigel said, getting up and taking one from the jar.

"So do you feel like talking a little bit now Nigel? I'm still dying to know what your intentions are towards my daughter" Randal said, noticing Nigel blushed bright red "I'm just kidding son; I know you're in love and I'm truly delighted about that….but do you think you'll be able to support yourselves…financially….you know….if you continue to study for your Masters and PhD…or marry and have kids?"

Nigel was a little surprised by Randal's directness but he was thrilled that Syd's dad seemed to approve of him "I'll….I'll be able to look after both of us and…and any um….children…very well Sir" he said, realising Randal was just being practical.

"Son….I know you think you'll manage….but it's expensive when you have kids….and if you can only work part-time because you're studying….well….you do the math!" Randal said; believing Nigel might not be aware of that.

Nigel smiled, but he didn't interrupt the older man who appeared to want to make a point and, obviously, had no idea that he was now very wealthy.

"But look son…..if you marry Sydney and want to continue studying….I'll be more than happy to help support you financially through that time….of course….once you get your PhD your earnings potential will be huge….and you'll do just fine then…I'm sure."

"I um…guess Syd didn't tell you Sir….but I um…..I've come into my inheritance now….so if Syd….well…if she becomes my wife….we won't actually need financial help at all….but thank you so much for the offer Sir….that means a lot to me" Nigel said, feeling delighted that Randal was genuinely happy about his relationship with Sydney.

"Inheritance?….What exactly do you mean by that Nigel?" Randal asked, looking rather intrigued.

"Well….um…on my 25th birthday I….I became…well….a multimillionaire….so we'll have no financial problems….I'll um….be able to buy an amazing house for me and Syd over here….and I...um….already have a large property in the Cotswolds Sir….oh that's a really beautiful area in the centre of England."

"Oh well…..that's wonderful son!….I'm stunned and quite relieved actually!...But I suppose you lost someone very dear to you."

"Well…yes….my mum and dad" Nigel said looking quite sad "it was 13 years ago Sir.…but I still miss them terribly…..they um….put it in their Will that I shouldn't receive my inheritance until I was 25….for security reasons….and um…Preston and our family lawyer felt it would be safer not to tell me what my inheritance was until then either."

"Ah yes….it's quite common for wealthy families to do that in the States as well…it's important you're a responsible adult when you have great wealth" Randal said, realising Nigel didn't like thinking about the death of his parents.

"Yes…I know….and I understand that now Sir….but my goodness I was so shocked when I was told what I'd inherited! I um….own half of the Bailey family home in London and half of everything else that my parents owned too…which is a lot!...So um…suffice to say you'll never have to worry about Syd again….Sir I love her more than life itself….but I um…..haven't actually asked her to m…marry me um….yet."

"Look I know Sydney's not the easiest person to live with….but you'll make it work…I know you will!" Randal said, believing that could be the reason he'd not asked her yet.

"Um…it works already Sir….because I love her just the way she is….and…and…she loves me that way I am too….she's not difficult to live with at all…she never judges me…but I believe others do….um sometimes" Nigel said, recalling how he'd wrongly thought Randal was doing that earlier.

"Son…you may not believe this but when I was your age I was a lot like you...I was shy and nervous around people…..I might have been a lot bigger and physically stronger than you…but I was still constantly anxious about everything…even though I never went through anything awful like you did!" Randal said, suddenly looking very serious.

"Are you just saying that to make me feel better Sir?" Nigel asked, suspiciously.

"No…no I'm not….it genuinely took me months to pluck up the courage to ask Syd's mom out…..and even longer to ask her to marry me!…Of course….she said yes….and after Sydney was born all I wanted to do was make my family proud of me….so I began really pushing myself….and eventually my confidence grew and eventually….as you know….I became a very successful engineer….I know you'll be hugely successful too one day Nigel."

"Do you really think so?...oh…I guess I do too…it…it's just going to take a bit of time….I just need to get back to normal…finish my masters and PhD and…and marry Syd…not necessarily in that order!...God that seems like such a lot….but…but I will do it!….I know I will….because I have family and friends who love me…who'll help me through anything!" Nigel said, blinking back the tears when he realised that the man in front of him believed in him and deeply cared about him.

"You know Nigel…the one thing I always wanted was a son….Sydney knows that too…so I'd be very proud and very happy to have you as my son exactly as you are….you're certainly no weakling….I don't think at any age I'd have made it through what you did recently….nor in the past!" Randal said, hugging the young man reassuringly.

Nigel gave Randal one of his innocent, surprised looks and swallowed a big mouthful of coffee "thank….thank you Sir I…I'd be proud to be your son" Nigel said, hoping that wouldn't upset Preston, who'd practically been brother, mother and father to him for years!

"I would never have felt the same way about that Dallas or Francoise…..or any of those other idiots that Sydney used to date. You're intelligent, caring and you love Sydney…those others just wanted to manipulate her….but you two accept each other the way you are…..and so do I" Randal said, smiling widely at Nigel, who looked a little red but felt very happy.

"So…Sir….if I um….asked for Sydney's hand in marriage, you'd be happy to say….yes then?" Nigel said, very shyly.

"Of course I would!…..So are you asking?" Randal said, smiling at Nigel to put him at ease.

"Yes…yes I guess I am Sir!" Nigel replied, feeling a little anxious "I…I just need to buy her a ring!"

"Look Nigel….I know you'll probably want to buy her a huge diamond engagement ring, but do you know what she'd really like?" Randal said; noticing Nigel started to look intrigued.

"What?...What would she like Sir?" Nigel asked, believing Randal would be able to describe the perfect ring.

"Her mom's engagement ring" Randal said, taking a tiny box out of his pocket "she's always loved it and I promised her she could have it when she found the right man…..that's why I brought it with me today….you know…in the hope I'd get some free time after my meeting and be able to sneakily give this to you."

Nigel looked stunned "so you must um…be very sure I'm the right man then Sir."

"Of course I am!….I knew that even when we were in China looking for the statue of the Jade Empress…I liked you instantly…and I saw how you looked at her and the way you behaved in her presence!" Randal said, looking at Nigel's amazed expression as he placed the ring in the young man's hand.

"I thought I hid it quite well Sir….but I suppose I couldn't hide it from you!" Nigel said, looking at the ring and realising Randal was a very special person, just like his daughter. He could see too why Sydney liked the ring so much, as it was truly stunning! It had a large square emerald in the centre, with a diamond on each corner and an opal on each side. Of course, in truth, Nigel wanted to buy a ring for Sydney, although he kept that thought to himself, for fear of offending Randal "I'll keep this hidden from Syd until I can think of a very special way to propose."

"Nigel if you sat on a garbage truck and proposed, she'd say yes!" Randal said, giving him another fatherly hug "best go and get showered and changed now, before Sydney gets home."

However, before Nigel had the chance to leave the kitchen, Sydney opened the front door "Hey Sweetie…dad" she called out, as she saw Nigel and her father standing near the open kitchen door.

"Are you OK Nige?"

"I'm fine Syd…really…your dad's been great…um…you're early" Nigel said, kissing her on the lips in front of Randal who smiled widely.

"Yes Dean Bernson was feeling a bit guilty….and he knew I was desperate to see you and dad."

"Scoochie…I'm afraid I have something to tell you" Randal said, looking rather serious "Nigel actually hit the back of his head against the wall when those professors crowded him."

"What!?...Let me see Nigel" Sydney said, gently stroking his soft brown hair away from his neck "it's a little swollen…although it doesn't look too bad…but you really should have called me home dad!"

"I'm sorry Scoochie" Randal said, before going on to explain his reasons for not telling her and what he'd done to ensure Nigel was OK.

"Oh dad…..I'm sorry too….I know how much you care about Nigel….and I should have realised you'd never take any risks with his health."

"No Scooch.….I wouldn't!" Randal said, looking adoringly at his beautiful daughter.

"Oh um….Syd" Nigel said, feeling a little self-conscious that he could hear what they were saying "my….my head's OK now…so I'm going to give Nancy a quick call…you know I promised I would if I experienced anxiety like I did today"

"OK Nige….but make sure you tell her everything and….say hi to her for me" Sydney said; realising it was important that he speaks to his therapist under the circumstances.

Sydney gave her father a huge hug "I could have killed those idiots at work today! They might have set him back months!…..It's kind of sorted out now though…well as far as the staff are concerned anyway…..the Dean sent a memo to everyone to ensure that the next time Nigel comes into work…they'll be more sensitive and not crowd him….nor ask him too many questions" Sydney said, keeping hold of her father.

"Well at least they're doing something to make it easier for him to return" Randal replied, noticing his daughter suddenly looked a bit lost in her thoughts "you OK Scoochie?"

"Yes…I'm fine….I guess….it's just that….well...I can't help but worry about him sometimes…he was so horribly abused by those thugs…particularly that awful Maria….it was um….actually worse than they reported in the newspapers" Sydney said, looking uncharacteristically upset and frustrated.

"Hey Scooch…it's not like you to be so down" Randal said, hugging her tightly.

"Oh dad…I just love him so much…..but sometimes….like today….the fear of losing him to his nightmares really haunts me…..I can hardly stand it!"

"Scoochie, he's going to be fine!…..You're not going to lose him….what happened today was just one of those things….it wasn't your fault….and it won't happen again."

Sydney smiled at her father fondly.

"Look….do you remember my friends John Slater and Jack Pale….the two ex-soldiers who live in New York?"

"Sure…nice guys" Sydney replied wondering where he was going with this.

"Well I expect you remember too that they were captured in Afghanistan and suffered some terrible things."

"Yes…I do…it was horrific what they went through" Sydney said, believing now she had an idea of what her father was about to say.

"It was….but look how they've turned their lives around since they got back home! That was three years ago now and although they were in a terrible state at first…. and had plenty of nightmares and anxiety attacks…they've both since married and have cute baby daughters…they obviously still have the odd setback….but basically they're just fine!"

"Yes…yes….your right dad…in fact I remember meeting them at your house about a year ago…they certainly seemed normal to me!"

"Look...don't worry so much about Nigel….he's clearly getting over what happened….naturally he's bound to have a few more little problems….but he wants to get better…not just for himself…but for you! Hey…he's chatting with his therapist right now….so he's doing all the right things to help himself….look, he can obviously cope with a lot of stuff…after all, he works with you!" Randal said, laughing at his daughter, who looked at him lovingly and laughed as well.

Nigel went to bed quite early that night to give Sydney some private time with her father and because he was feeling quite exhausted. Having joined him at around midnight, Sydney was happy to see that he was sleeping peacefully, which completely put her mind at ease, especially after her conversation earlier with her dad.

Having attended his meeting the following day, Randal returned home to his beautiful wife, Jenny, where he began to realise just how lucky he was to have such a wonderful family….a family that he hoped would soon increase!

 **Thanks for reading my story…hope you like the next chapter where there will be a relic hunt!**


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

As time went by Nigel became much more assertive, just as Randal had predicted, and although he still had the odd nightmare, and being in a room full of strangers occasionally freaked him out, his mental health definitely improved. In fact, only a month after that shocking incident with the pushy professors, he started working at Trinity again; albeit just for a few hours each week. Nevertheless, he was absolutely determined to get his life back on track and with lots of encouragement from Sydney, he was soon working a couple of days a week and, eventually, full-time.

Getting his life back to normal made him feel much happier and he was more determined than ever not to let the events of the past interfere with his future; especially now he'd gotten Randal's permission to marry Sydney! However, no matter how normal his life had become, he was still too nervous to even think about relic hunting again although, deep down, he wished he could.

After Nigel had been back at Trinity for a while, he managed to rekindle his friendship with Derek who, after completing his assignment in London, called him one day to say he was now working for Interpol, in New York. Even though they'd not seen each other for a while, they instantly felt that brotherly connection and were, in fact, even closer now because of what happened in Rio.

Nigel loved being back at work although, obviously, Sydney insisted that he took things easy, not only because stress would be bad for him, but because he'd started studying for his Masters again, something which Preston was particularly pleased about. However, after about six weeks of working full-time and studying as well, he realised it was getting too much. He, therefore, cut his work back to three days and studied for two; although he sometimes hit the books at weekends as well.

Even though Sydney tried hard to hide it, Nigel was very aware that she missed relic hunting. Of course, in some ways, he did too; in fact, he'd always gotten a huge thrill out of finding relics that had been lost, or hidden, over the centuries. He'd also rather enjoyed deciphering clues found on ancient manuscripts; clues that had quite often led him and Sydney to some amazing finds!

On the other hand, he recalled, with alarm, the dangers associated with relic hunting, for which he'd never been fully prepared as, obviously, he was raised as a young gentleman; not a tough explorer!

Naturally though, as he loved Sydney so much, his reluctance to consider going relic hunting again made him feel quite selfish; especially when he knew she'd never consider going without him now, nor would she ask him to go with her; not unless he expressed some genuine interest in it again.

The fact was, although he realised it would upset Preston, he knew in his heart of hearts that, in the not too distant future, he would have to find a way to shake off his fear of relic hunting; otherwise his beautiful Sydney would always miss out on something she loved with a passion and he'd never experience that wonderful thrill again.

One morning, having found some of Sydney's relic hunting clothes in the bin, Nigel felt just terrible. He believed that Sydney must have given up on ever going relic hunting again; although she'd said nothing to that effect and, on the face of it, she seemed perfectly happy!

However, with that in mind, he decided that, rather than ask her about it, he'd find a way to solve the problem; at least to some degree anyway. Therefore, a couple of days later, having spoken to Nancy and given it some serious thought, he shut himself away in an empty third floor office, at work, and called Derek.

"Hi Buddy, it's me" Nigel said, feeling a little on edge, yet quite excited about his idea.

"Hey Kiddo….is everything alright? You sound breathless" Derek said, hoping Nigel wasn't having a panic attack.

"Oh sorry…..yes I'm fine….I just ran up six flights of stairs….um…I need to talk to you Bud" Nigel said, going on to explain the situation with regards to his relic hunting anxiety and Sydney's reaction to it.

"Well most of that's not new Kiddo" Derek said, realising how difficult the situation was for both of them "Look you've always been nervous on relic hunts….what's different now is that Syd's in love with you…so she's bound to worry you'll get hurt….that's obviously the reason she won't ask you to go.…and she also knows you'd stress out if she went alone….look Kiddo….I'd be worried myself if you went on a hunt right now….you're simply not equipped to protect yourself….and you certainly couldn't look after Sydney!...The fact is, if you went now…you'd both be in danger…..you're just so in love you'd both watch the other's back….yet totally ignore your own!"

"I know you're right Derek…I do…but I have an idea."

"What idea?" Derek asked, believing he knew what Nigel was about to say.

"I um…..don't suppose you'd consider teaching me self-defence…would you?...I….I know you tried before….but well…I wasn't as motivated then as I am now."

"I had a feeling you were gonna say that…..but are you sure? You're even skinnier now than you were the last time….so that's not gonna help."

"Yes…I….I think so…the thing is….I….I just can't let Syd continuously miss out on hunts…it's not fair….she loves it!"

"I know Kiddo…I know….and well….if you're absolutely certain…..and you promise to stay with it this time….I'll help you…..oh but how the hell can we set up a training schedule when we live so far apart?" Derek asked, believing Nigel would have no solution.

"Well um….I…I could fly to New York whenever you're free…there're several flights every day….so…so it shouldn't be too difficult" Nigel said enthusiastically "I could even rent a plane….you know….if it became necessary…I'm really serious about this Buddy."

"I can tell you are!...You've obviously done your travel research….so I guess it could work….but actually I might even be able to come to Boston every now and again….I usually take Tuesdays off and I rarely work at weekends….so yes…I suppose it could work!"

Nigel was so relieved that Derek had agreed to help him, as he hated the idea of trying to find someone else, especially when he wouldn't know that person and he'd have to have close physical contact with them!

Over the next three months Derek trained Nigel to defend himself in various situations. He also made him hit a punch bag and speedball at the gym in New York, as well as while he was home in Boston; which ensured his strength didn't deteriorate between training sessions. All of this eventually helped him become a lot fitter, and quite a lot stronger; although Derek realised that Nigel was never going to be physically tough like him; fighting simply wasn't in his nature!

However, after a further month Nigel began to feel much more confident about taking up relic hunting again, although he still didn't mention anything to Sydney, who was totally unaware of his new skills! She always assumed, when he wasn't at home, or work, that he was at the library studying, or running errands. She had, however, noticed bruises on his body, on a few occasions, which sometimes worried her; although Nigel always hid the truth and claimed he'd been clumsy or tripped over something!

One day, in the middle of doing a few press-ups, Nigel sat on the floor and looked up at Derek "Um…do you think I'll be OK to go on a hunt now?...I managed 15 press-ups in one go just then…..and….and Syd's turned down three really good hunts recently….I hate seeing her look so disappointed...I…I just want to surprise her by offering to go" Nigel said, looking pleadingly at his 'brother'.

"What! No!.…Not yet!...Well…not really" Derek replied, trying to hide the fact that he'd been dreading Nigel asking that question, although he realised he was bound to sooner or later "look Kiddo…..I suppose if Sydney ensures that whoever employs your services hasn't blabbed about the relic, then there'll be less chance of rival relic hunters following you….but look…..I know you're a lot stronger than before….but you're definitely not ready to take on the likes of those brutes who attacked you before! No….all of them would still be able to kick your skinny butt!"

"Oh…um OK….but um….do you think I'm ready for a simple hunt?" Nigel said, remembering that Derek could still out manoeuvre him every time they went through the self-defence moves, but wanting to find out what he thought anyway.

"Look…like I said before….you still won't be able to defend yourself….nor Sydney…against thugs like that crazy Chinaman you told me about when you were looking for that Dragon's Egg….nor any of those other crazy idiots you've faced in the past…but you'll probably be OK if you come across someone like Stewie Harper….as long as you take some pepper spray with you….I know you won't take a gun!" Derek said, trying to be truthful without offending Nigel who was, after all, not the largest of men.

Realising Derek was right, but wondering why he hadn't thought of taking pepper spray before, his only serious concern then was whether he might have flashbacks, or horrible nightmares, on the hunt. Realising then, of course, that Sydney had always helped him through those, no matter where they were, he decided he'd broach the subject with her that evening.

Having arrived home quite late, he kissed Sydney and asked her to sit down so that he could tell her something important. She could see that he was excited, but when he said he wanted to go relic hunting again, she was very surprised and refused to take him seriously! However, once he explained what he'd been doing with Derek recently, she mulled it over for a couple of minutes and then looked him in the eye "You little devil!...I tried to teach you martial arts several times, but you were useless!" she said, feeling slightly offended that he'd gone to Derek for help, but delighted that he'd done it to please her.

"I know…I know and I'm sorry…but…well…I just couldn't get my head around those kind of moves….and…and…you're just so bloody strong!.…I thought you might injure me…..or worse!.…I've seen you throw men twice my size across a room….I was scared Syd….I'm really sorry" Nigel said, looking down at the floor as he felt rather embarrassed.

"Oh Sweetie….it's OK…you're right…I have hurt people when we were just messing around….I just forget how strong I am sometimes….so…are you really sure you want to come on a hunt?….You've not been training with Derek that long" Sydney said, thinking his muscles didn't appear much bigger than before, but realising that, actually, she could still protect him like she always had, if he genuinely wanted to go.

"Yes Syd….I need to do this…I really do….I miss having adventures with you and having that wonderful feeling when we find something remarkable….so um….next time someone asks you to find something….go ahead and accept….I'll be OK…um….as long as no rival relic hunters follow us!" Nigel said, going on to explain very briefly what Derek thought about that.

"Oh…I'm not really sure about this anymore Nige" Sydney said, remembering the many times he'd been attacked by thugs in the past.

Realising he wasn't quite getting through to her just how much he wanted to do this, he cocked his head to one side in that endearingly way he had and promised he'd be careful, that he'd bring pepper spray and buy her something beautiful that sparkles!

She laughed and hugged him for a few seconds "alright….I'll take you on a hunt…but no heroics…OK!" she said, kissing him on the lips, although she still felt he was trying to run before he could walk.

Over the next few days she began to realise that, although she was capable of protecting Nigel under normal circumstances, she would need to put something extra in place going forward, as they were bound to run into thugs and crazy cult leaders, at some point, that even she couldn't fight off.

One afternoon, having had a really good day at work, she suddenly had a brainwave about what she could do. Picking up the phone, she excitedly called Jim Bird, a recently retired professional wrestler, who had a passion for history and time on his hands "Hi Jim….it's Sydney" she said, deciding not to beat about the bush "I was just wondering….you've expressed an interest in going relic hunting with me on several occasions.…would you still like to do that?"

"I sure would!" Jim replied; feeling quite excited "so when are you going?"

"Not just yet Jim…but actually I'm not just talking about one hunt….I need you to become a permanent member of the team….would you be interested that?"

"I think I might Sydney…yes I might….but it kind of depends what you'd want me to do?"

"Well Jim…I'll need you to help on the trail….you know….carry equipment and do any heavy lifting that I can't manage….I'd also like you to watch my back when I'm focussing on the hunt…just in case we have rival relic hunters after us….but most importantly I need you to protect Nigel if we run into any trouble.…I expect you read in the papers what happened to him."

"I did Sydney…I did….I was horrified….poor kid…..but I didn't actually realise you were back in the country yet…in fact…if I'm honest….I didn't think Nigel would ever come back."

"We've been back for a while now….but neither of us has done any relic hunting" she said, going on to explain why that was and why she was nervous about Nigel going with her now "You're perfect for what I need…I know you have an ancient history degree…even if you've never used it…and I know you still wrestle for fun at weekends….so you're obviously still very fit...so please Jim…I'd really like you to come with us when we're next asked to find something?"

"Sydney….I'd be delighted to help….I'm bored out of my mind being retired….and I'm looking for something interesting to do with his life…other than the odd wresting match….you just let me know when you need me OK?"

"Oh Jim…that's wonderful...I'll call you the instant we get asked to find something!...Bye….speak soon….I hope!" Sydney said, putting the phone down and feeling quite relieved.

Not long after taking Jim on as a new member of the team, Sydney received a rather exciting call from Michel Previn, the young Frenchman who'd helped them find the sword of Jacques de Molay.

After a bit of chit chat, Michel advised her that, not long after she'd left the sword with him, he'd donated it to the Louvre, in Paris! She was, naturally, rather surprised by that, as she truly believed that the sword should stay with him. However, she soon understood why he'd done it when he explained that the sword was very vulnerable to theft on his houseboat, whereas in a museum it was safe, and could be seen by the masses, rather than just by him.

Sydney was delighted to hear that, as it proved she was right; Michel was a young man with a true heart. She was also very happy and excited to hear that, a couple of months ago, the director of the Louvre, Jean-Paul Cassel, had loaned him an ancient manuscript, believing that it held clues to the whereabouts of some further Knights Templar artefacts!

Sydney's ears instantly pricked up when Michel explained that he'd been unsuccessful in deciphering some of the clues, and that Jean-Paul was getting totally frustrated with him. She realised then that he desperately needed her help which, of course, she was very happy to give!

Nigel was delighted to hear about the new hunt as he knew the young Frenchman would never divulge anything about it to anyone, other than Sydney. That made him feel confident that there'd be no rival relic hunters on their trail and that he'd be able to enjoy it.

He was, however, a little unhappy to learn that Jim was coming along too, not because he didn't like the older gentleman, but because, naturally, he wanted Sydney all to himself! Of course, when she explained that Jim was not only going to protect him, but her as well, he was far more agreeable to having him along; although he was pretty confident that, because she still trained daily, her martial arts skills had not diminished!

Having arrived in Paris a few days later, the three relic hunters checked into a rather swish centrally located hotel, although the opportunity of sleeping on the floor of Michel's houseboat was always there! Nigel, however, was so relieved when Sydney declined Michel's generous offer as, having paid for three first class tickets to Paris; he wanted to continue showing Sydney a good time; particularly at night! After all, he thought; what was the point of having money if you still have to rough it!

Sydney and Nigel ended up in the penthouse suite, although Jim refused Nigel's sincere offer of having the smaller suite, next door. He did, however, accept a luxurious room, just along the corridor, ensuring he'd be close by should any rival relic hunters, or any other unwanted 'guests', appear on the scene.

Staying in such a lovely place, they were able to relax and study the document in peace and in great detail. Of course, once Sydney and Nigel had tossed around a few ideas, they were soon able to decipher enough clues to locate the site where they believed the treasure was hidden.

Reading the first clue they worked out that they needed find the site of an ancient church which, having checked on a modern day map to see if it still existed, they were delighted to find that it did; although it was now just a ruin.

Sydney decided to hire a car for this hunt, rather than use taxis, as it was far more convenient and would definitely meet with Nigel's approval! Obviously, because they had their own vehicle, they could bring a lot more equipment with them; including two top-of-the-range laptops, digital cameras, battery powered tools and mobile phones. Of course, they also brought all of the usual things such as ropes, torches and hessian sacks; ensuring they were ready for anything!

Having found the site quite easily, they realised it wasn't that far from where they'd found de Molay's sword; which made them feel very optimistic that they were on the right track!

The second clue led them to a circular piece of stone which was near the top of a wall, on one of the few remaining buildings. The circle stuck out slightly from the rest of the wall and was about the size of a large frying pan. Realising immediately it was too high to reach, Sydney asked Jim if he'd mind letting Michel sit on his shoulders, hoping the young man would be able to reach it that way. Naturally, Jim didn't mind at all, as Michel was very slim, and he was as strong as an ox! However, even though Jim was also quite tall, Michel could still only manage to touch the edge of the circular stone!

"Can you see a cross anywhere on the stone Michel?" Sydney asked, hoping that he could, as the document seemed to indicate there should be one.

"Yes…I can just about see it….it's right at the bottom" Michel replied, having stretched his neck backwards a little to try and get a better look.

"I think you need to press the stone at that point….but if you can't reach it with your hand….try hitting it with this" Sydney said, handing him a piece of a tree branch she'd picked up off the ground.

Having taken a swing at the stone and hitting the cross the very first time, they were all shocked when they heard a loud rumbling noise coming from beneath their feet.

"Oh my God!" Jim shouted "the ground's opening up! Move back!"

Jim caught hold of Michel's legs and leapt backwards, just as a large hole appeared quite close to the wall; near to where they'd been standing!

"Look you can see some steps!" Michel yelled with excitement, as he leapt to the ground.

They were all totally stunned for a second, but also thrilled and excited to see the entrance and the stone steps that had been hidden for so long. However, before they attempted to go inside Sydney wanted another look at the document "don't make any sudden moves….I just need to double check there're no traps…nor anything to indicate it might be dangerous to go down there…what do you think Sweetie?" she said turning around to show Nigel the document.

"Nigel!...Nigel! Where are you?" she shouted, having discovered he was no longer there!

"We'll find him" Jim said, taking Michel by the arm "he can't have gone far….knowing him he'll have noticed something fascinating to examine!"

However, before they could take another step, it soon became very obvious where Nigel was, as three men, all dressed in black, approached them. One man, who was at least six foot three inches tall, was squeezing his arm around Nigel's throat; whilst another pointed a gun at him and then crazily waved it at Michel. The third thug, who was bald and had a huge stomach, frantically aimed his gun at Jim and then turned it on Sydney.

"Lead us to the treasure now…..or pretty boy here won't be so pretty anymore!" the thug holding Nigel shouted viciously.

"If you want the artefacts, you'd better let him go; he's the only one who can decipher this document!" Sydney lied; her heart racing madly as she saw how frightened Nigel looked.

The brute immediately let go of Nigel, shoved him into the arms of another thug and took a gun out of his jacket pocket "give me that knife in your boot! Now!" he shouted; waving the gun towards her legs.

Realising then that he must know she's Sydney Fox, if he knew about the knife, she carefully removed it and threw it on the ground, just in front of the thug.

"Pick it up kid!" the brute shouted at Nigel; who immediately did as he was told. However, as he bent down to reach for the knife with his left hand, he put the other hand in his pocket; realising Sydney could see exactly what he was doing.

"Who the hell are you!?" Sydney yelled, to distract the thugs, just as Nigel squirted pepper spray into the face of the thug who'd been holding a gun on him and Michel! Having then quickly shoved Nigel out of the way, Sydney leapt sideways, kicked the gun from that thug's hand, spun around on one leg and kicked the one who'd been holding Nigel hard in the face; almost knocking him out!

Having noticed Nigel was too close to where the fighting was taking place, Michel pulled him out of the way; enabling Sydney to masterfully beat the heck out of the thugs without having to worry about him getting hurt.

Although Sydney was doing well, Jim remembered it was actually his job to keep her and Nigel safe. He therefore, grabbed hold of the third brute, who was about to grab hold of Sydney's hair, punched him in the ribs, kneed him in the groin and then thumped him in the mouth, knocking him completely unconscious within seconds!

Sydney and Jim were magnificent and they soon had all three thugs lying helpless on the ground. Sitting on the chest of the thug who'd previously been holding Nigel, Sydney looked menacingly into his eyes and raised her fist; allowing it hover just above his face "tell me who sent you….now!" she shouted, really wanting to inflict some pain on the man who'd almost choked Nigel.

"Rita! Rita sent us; she wants those relics bad!" the brute said, turning his head to avoid an anticipated blow; which never came.

"How the hell did she know about them!?…..And how did Rita know it would be me searching for them for that matter!?" Sydney asked, looking really furious.

"She has a friend who works at the Louvre….yesterday he overheard Jean-Paul Cassell talking about a document that could lead to some hidden Knights Templar artefacts….and…and your name….and…the name of your hotel came up during the conversation" the thug replied, looking quite worried….please don't tell Rita I told you….she'll kill me!"

"Darn it!…. Can you get some rope from Nigel's rucksack please Jim?….It's over there" Sydney said, pointing to a large tree a few foot away.

"Oh right" Jim said, feeling a little embarrassed that he'd not noticed they were being followed earlier.

Having watched Jim tie up the thug's hands, Sydney, rushed over to where Nigel was sitting on a large rock, next to Michel "are you OK Sweetie? He didn't hurt you, did he?" she asked, brushing the hair off his face with the back of her hand.

"N…no…I…I'm alright Syd...b…but what about you?...Did they hurt you?"

"No…I'm fine….I guess I can still kick butt! You know Sweetie….I'm surprised none of us heard those brutes grab hold of you" she said, noticing Nigel looked down at the ground. Realising then that they needed a bit of privacy, Michel thoughtfully moved away.

"Oh….it was um….my fault Syd…I…I stopped to….you know….behind that big tree…they grabbed me then!" Nigel said, looking very embarrassed "sorry Syd….I couldn't wait."

"Oh Nige…that bladder of yours!" she said, smiling at him as he cocked his head, shyly, to one side "I hope they let you finish!"

"Y...yes" he said, checking his zip and blushing a little.

She pulled him close and squeezed him tightly "Hey Sweetie….you're shaking…..are you sure you're OK?"

"I'm just a bit shaken up…that's all…but I feel no different than the other times a gun was pointed at me."

"Oh Sweetie…I'm….so so sorry….I should been more sensitive when things like that happened to you on past hunts….I really should" Sydney said, feeling terrible that she'd rarely comforted him after he'd been in a bad situation.

"No…no…Syd….that came out wrong! I just meant….I'm not feeling any worse now, regardless of what I went through in Rio…..besides…we've already discussed this.…I know you had to keep focused when we were on hunts….otherwise…if you'd become distracted by fussing over me….it could have been dangerous!" Nigel said, wishing he'd not said what he did.

"But I'm doing that now Nige….I could have easily spent a few minutes consoling you when you got distressed back then….easily!" Sydney said, deeply wishing she'd been more understanding, especially during the early hunts when he was so inexperienced.

"But we have Jim watching our backs now Syd…so it's different…back then it was just you and me…..now stop worrying about the past and think about the here and now!" Nigel said, pulling her close and kissing her lips "I love you Syd…my wonderful angel."

Her heart totally melted and she shook off her feelings of guilt, realising Nigel was actually right! "Come on Nigel the Brave, let's get that gorgeous backside of yours off that rock and find those relics!" she said, noticing then he was still shaking a little "Sweetie…If you want us to stop here for a little while…we can."

"No…no I'd rather carry on…I don't want to think about it…I just want to find those relics and get that amazing feeling again" Nigel said, smiling widely at Sydney.

"Well Sweetie….if you're absolutely sure….but stay close to me…or Jim….and if you want to examine something a bit closer…well….tell me….please don't lag behind."

"OK mummy" Nigel said, giving Sydney a mischievous grin, which made her laugh.

Having forced the three thugs to go down into the opening ahead of them, the four relic hunters followed close behind, taking it very slowly, particularly as the steps were damp and slippery. Once they'd reached the bottom they found themselves in a huge, pitch black room, which their eyes took a little while to adjust to. However, after they'd stood there staring into the darkness for a couple of minutes, vague shapes began to appear, which looked quite spooky, at first, although gradually they realised it was just rotting furniture.

One thing that immediately became apparent, right from the moment they'd stepped into the opening, was the simply awful smell which permeated the entire room. Realising the source of the odour was almost certainly faeces, they waved their torches at the ground and soon discovered, to their horror, there were dozens and dozens of rats running around!

Sydney and Nigel held their noses and carefully stepped into the darkness where they hoped they'd find the artefacts really quickly. Unfortunately, however, once they'd double checked the document, it was pretty obvious the relics weren't in that room, so they still had a little way to go!

Realising it would be better not to take the brutes with them, Sydney looked for somewhere to tie them up to ensure they'd cause them no further problems "hey you can leave them over there Jim" Sydney said, pointing to a metal post which reached from floor to ceiling "tie their hands to that and then tie their feet together…we don't want them escaping and reporting back to Rita!"

Jim did as he was told, but for added security, he gagged them as well! "They won't escape from there Sydney….you can be sure of that" Jim said, as he returned to the rest of the group who were shining their torches around the room to see if they could see anything interesting.

"OK…so there's nothing much in here….but it looks like we have to go down that corridor over there" Sydney said, pointing her torch to the far end of the huge room and then onto the document again "come on….stay close Nigel…step around the vermin!"

"Yuk…I will" he said, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket and holding it over his nose.

Having carefully made their way down to the far end of the corridor, they checked the manuscript again "look Nige….see those stone panels…I think we have to somehow get through one of them…the clues on how to do that are rather complicated though…what do you think?" Sydney said, shining the torch onto the appropriate part of the document.

Nigel looked really carefully at the clue and then shone his torch around the walls of the corridor "Ah right….I think you have to place those three stones lying on the ledge over there….into those three holes in the wall….but as you say….it's complicated…you obviously have to insert them in a particular order….then I think one of the panels should open" Nigel said, as he waved his torch at the various points he mentioned.

"Yes but what order should it be" Jim asked, looking at the stones "they look very similar."

They all examined the stones individually, but Sydney really studied them in detail. Having shone her torch directly at the stones and having viewed them from all angles, she suddenly yelled "I've got it Nigel!….Look at this!...When you look closely you can see bumps and dips on one side of each of the stone….but right there….on that little spot….you can clearly see a specific mark…..and there's a different mark on each of them!...This one has a miniature lion…that one has a crescent and that's got a cross on it" she said, giving Nigel a huge smile.

"Wow Syd…well spotted!...But gosh those marks are really small…..and very well disguised!" Nigel said, looking at them again.

"Yeah that's for sure! Sydney replied, looking at the stone panel again.

"Hey Syd….I've just realised something….those three holes in the wall are in a pyramid shape" Nigel said, pointing his torch at the wall "and the three marks are exactly the same as the marks on the crosses we used to find de Molay's sword!"

"That's right!" Sydney yelled "so….so we need to place these stone into those holes in the same order we used for that!"

"Ha! That's it!" Michel jumped in "that means the lion goes on top, the crescent goes on the right and the cross on the left!"

"OK then" Jim said, picking up the first stone and placing it at the top.

"You put this one in Nigel and I'll insert the other" Sydney said, handing Nigel a stone and looking really hopeful.

Unfortunately, though, having inserted the stones and waited for at least a minute; nothing seemed to be happening.

"We must have done something wrong" Nigel said, looking really dejected.

"No I don't think we have Sweetie….shine your flashlight on the manuscript again please" Sydney said, looking closely at the document once more "hey what's that?"

"It's a small arrow Syd…but it doesn't seem to correspond with anything in this area" Nigel said, looking at the floor and then the ledge where the stones had been.

"It must do…maybe we should brush the dust off the ledge….or maybe the floor" Michel said, feeling very slightly left out "things get hidden that way."

Realising he could be right; they began brushing away the dust, using nothing but their bare hands. Luckily, though, as there were no rats in this area, they soon revealed what looked like four arrows on the floor, each pointing in different direction! Brushing away a bit more dust they noticed that one of the arrows was actually pointing to a small indentation at the bottom of the wall, right below the stones; whereas the others pointed nowhere, at least not close by anyway.

"Syd those arrows would have probably gone unnoticed day to day…in fact…they could easily be mistaken for decoration….but I think the Knights Templar might have put that one there….pointing to the wall….as a marker…you know….to show where perhaps a key…or something else should be inserted…what do you think Syd? Nigel asked, hopping onto the ledge to sit and think.

"Well I guess something has to go into that indentation…something that will… hopefully…..open up one of these stone panels" Sydney said, looking around.

"OK...but what?" Nigel said, looking a little perturbed as he aimed his torch at the stones again "hey Syd!...Look just above the top stone….there's a jagged piece of rock sticking out….do you think we should try to remove it and place it down there?"

Sydney looked up "hey I think you're right Nige!" she said, stretching up to see if she could pull it out and finding it relatively easy. Having then crouched down on the floor, she pressed the jagged piece of rock into the hole and a second later Nigel felt movement from the ledge where he was sitting!

"Oh my God!" he yelled, as the ledge slid backwards, disappeared into a gaping big dusty hole and caused him to fall to the floor on his behind!

Having quickly gotten up, he and everyone else tried to see what was behind the large opening, although that was rather difficult as it was so dark and dusty. However, as soon as the dust cleared, they shone their torches into the opening where they could clearly see they'd found the hidden room they'd been looking for!

Feeling rather excited, Nigel brushed himself down and sneezed "Syd, this reminds me of when we were in Ireland to look for the crown of King Brian Boru….the crypt opened up just like this….although that one required a bit of music to be played to make it open….this one just needed that extra piece of stone inserted."

"Hey…you're right Nige…..so if this is like that one we'd better make sure the opening doesn't automatically shut behind us while we're still inside!….We don't want to be trapped in there forever!" Sydney said, shining her torch inside the entrance again "Jim…that looks like a large piece of granite leaning against the wall over there….if it's is you might be able to jam it in the opening….but you'll probably only have about five minutes before it closes…that is…if it has a similar timing mechanism as the Irish one."

"Oh right….um OK then" Jim said, stepping through the opening, hoping he'd be strong enough to move the stone by himself. However, it was immediately apparent that he wasn't, as he could barely move it at all! Realising then that he was going to need the help of Nigel and Michel, he shouted through the opening "Hey!…You two!….Quick!…Give me a hand with this….we don't have much time left!"

Naturally, knowing that the door could spring closed at any moment made the two young men feel rather nervous, although obviously the opening had to be jammed. Realising then that they had no choice but to put their fears to the back of their minds, they rushed into the room, took hold of the stone and the three of them pushed it into the opening "Wow….I feel better now" Nigel said, looking around the large room and hearing a loud crunch as the ledge tried to spring back into place; without success!

"Great job guys!" Sydney said, shining her torch onto some paintings on the wall, to the right of the opening "are you all OK…that looked super heavy."

"Yes….were fine" Jim and Michel said at the same time.

"Me too…but my hearts beating a mile a minute" Nigel said, holding his hand over his chest "hey Syd…..there's an old reed torch on the wall, I'll try to light it…we'll be able to see better then."

"OK…..but be careful….you don't want it breaking apart!"

Nigel nodded, took out the lighter he always kept in his pocket on hunts, and lit the torch. That instantly made the room a little brighter and they could see some further paintings, to the left of the entrance.

"That torch seems alright Syd….and I can see a couple more…..I'll see if I can light those as well…but um….there has to be more in such a big room" Nigel said, holding the flame from the first torch above one of the others and setting it alight. Feeling quite excited, as the room became much brighter, he gradually lit several others which revealed that the room was, as they'd so desperately hoped, full of Knights Templar treasures!

"Best not light anymore Sweetie…it could be dangerous….even if they're OK at the moment they could still disintegrate and fall on the floor….then the whole place could be in flames in minutes!" Sydney said, as she, Nigel and Jim began putting swords, daggers, helmets and other metal objects into hessian sacks.

While they were doing that, Michel stood outside the room and called Jean-Paul to advise him of their find, and to explain where he needed to send his specialists to collect the treasures. Feeling quite ecstatic, as Jean-Paul congratulated him, he put his phone away and stepped back inside the room. He'd barely gotten two foot in when he suddenly heard Jim yell out "Hey! Look at this wooden chest Sydney!….It's full of books and stuff.

"Be careful Jim….they look very fragile….just close the lid for now….the guys from the Louvre will have special ways of protecting things like that…I just hope they'll be salvageable" Sydney said, noticing there were at least another six chests, which they quickly looked inside and closed again, as they also contained books and documents, as well as a few maps.

"The Louvre will be so delighted to have all this stuff Michel" Nigel said, noticing how happy the young Frenchman was looking as he walked around the room.

"They definitely will….Jean-Paul just told me they have the perfect place to exhibit them! Oh and this morning, before we left, the curator offered me a job at the museum….that is…if I can prove myself on this hunt….hey but I think this qualifies…don't you Nigel!?" Michel said; suddenly feeling extra excited as reality hit him!

"Definitely!" Nigel replied, realising then just how important this discovery was to Michel, particularly for his career.

"I can't wait to see what else we discover in here….this is far more than I ever expected to find" Michel said, picking up a beautiful sword and waving it in the air.

Having spent the next hour documenting and photographing some of the most spectacular Knights Templar relics they'd ever seen; they could barely contain their excitement. Especially when, in one medium sized metal box, they found dozens of gold chains, with ruby, emerald, sapphire and diamond pendants! Then they discovered some racks on the wall containing nine jewel encrusted swords, along with some daggers and smaller knives!

Once they'd looked around for a further half an hour, they decided, just to be on the safe side, they'd check the document again, as it could possibly indicate that there was another room they needed to find. However, having gone over the clues twice, they believed that what they'd discovered already was the extent of it, which relieved Nigel, as he was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed!

Having been very careful not to damage anything they'd put in the sacks earlier, they left them just outside the opening of the room, ready to be collected by the Louvre personnel. Obviously though, they didn't disturb the paintings on the walls, nor did they move things like books or manuscripts, as they'd have to be expertly removed and packed in airtight boxes to prevent them deteriorating.

Once they'd finished everything they could to help the Louvre representatives, they suddenly remembered the men they'd left tied up near the entrance! Believing then that Rita would have missed them by now and that she'd have probably sent more thugs out to find them; Sydney called the police and explained how urgent it was that they attend the site!

The excitement caused by Michel's call to Jean-Paul earlier that day, sent the curators and specialists at the museum into a frenzy, all of whom wanted to be the first one on site to see the relics.

Sydney was thrilled too as, prior to starting the hunt that day, she'd been promised, by Jean-Paul that, if they found any relics, he would donate 5% to Trinity, or to any museum of Sydney's choosing! This had now turned into an extremely profitable arrangement, as the room was so full of priceless relics and artefacts, she would almost certainly receive items worth in the region of quarter of a million dollars!

When the representatives from the Louvre, and a few trusted archaeologists, arrived on site, they were simply stunned by what the four relic hunters showed them. However, by now, of course, the four of them were desperately in need of a shower and some food, as they'd only brought energy bars with them. Therefore, once they'd explained to the experts what they'd done, and showed them the chests full of books, they returned to the hotel to celebrate their good fortune.

Nigel ordered champagne and lobster dinners for everyone that night and placed a single red rose on Sydney's side plate to demonstrate his love for her. Obviously she loved it, as she threw her arms around him and kissed him as if he'd given her a diamond!

After dinner, having spent a good two hours eating and chatting, they all retired to bed where Sydney observed Nigel sleep for almost an hour before she attempted to shut her eyes! She was watching for signs of trauma, bearing in mind what those thugs did to him, but luckily, although he twitched a little more than usual, he seemed just fine and actually didn't wake her at all, once she'd fallen asleep!

The following day, after several hours at the museum looking at their amazing photos and recording now many swords, daggers, crowns, helmets, shields, coins, belt buckles etc they'd found, Nigel made his way to the _Champs-Elysées,_ hoping to do a bit of gift shopping for his 'family'.

Sydney, however, had different plans and immediately returned to the hotel for a long soak in the bath. She stayed in that for almost an hour, sipping some very expensive wine and topping up the bath every now and again with hot water.

Thinking Nigel was taking a long time, she was just about to call him when he walked in carrying bags from some of the most exclusive shops in Paris.

"Oooh…..what ya got me Nige?" she joked, moving seductively towards him.

"Nothing at all…..well…maybe just a little something" he said, pulling out a rather nice leather box from one of the bags.

She opened it excitedly "Oh Sweetie…th….that's gorgeous!" she said, turning around and pulling up her hair so that he could put on the diamond pendant necklace that he'd actually ordered a couple of days ago on the internet "Nige you shouldn't keep spoiling me like this….really you shouldn't…but honestly Sweetie…it's just beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it Syd….I want this to be a memorable visit to Paris for us personally, not just because we've been relic hunting!" Nigel said, looking at Sydney lovingly and feeling a lump come into his throat.

Noticing he had tears in his eyes, she kissed him passionately and was about to drag him off to the bedroom when someone suddenly shoved a little white envelope under their door!

Running to see who it was, Sydney was surprised to find there was nobody there "Oh…it must have been a bellboy or someone else from the hotel" she said, picking up the envelope and carefully tearing it open "hey look Sweetie… someone wants us to meet them at the top of the Eiffel Tower….right now….they say there's going to be something unforgettable and amazing up there for me!...Then it says that only you and I should come….nobody else."

"Oh um….is it signed?" Nigel asked, looking barely interested as he tugged on the sleeve of her negligee to try to get her into the bedroom!

"Not really…it's typed….it just says it's from someone who cares about me….but I suppose it could be a trap, perhaps someone from Rita's gang" she said, getting more curious by the minute, yet allowing herself to be pulled along, just a little, by Nigel.

"We aren't going are we?" Nigel asked, looking quite disinterested and eyeing the bedroom again as he tugged on her sleeve some more.

"No…no…not if you don't want to Sweetie" she said, staring at the note again "although the top of the tower is not really somewhere you'd set a trap, is it? It's totally encaged and they have security cameras up there….they'd have no way of escaping if they tried to attack us."

"Syd! Look….I know you want to go….I'll never hear the last of it if we don't!" Nigel said, in a slightly grumpy tone.

"Oh Sweetie…I'm sorry….but it could be someone who wants us to find something…well….amazing.…I have lots of French friends….Sweetie… I don't want to miss the chance of another hunt while we're here….I'll make it up to you….I promise" she said, kissing him on the lips and immediately rushing into the bedroom to get dressed.

 **So will it be a trap, another hunt, or will it be something Sydney could never imagine.**


	11. Chapter 11

**REMINDER: Nigel had been nervous of Harry Middleton, the Bailey family lawyer, since he was a child, as Harry had shouted at him viciously when, unbeknown to Nigel, Harry discovered Preston wanted to take care of him after their parents died, rather than permit Harry to do it.**

 **CHAPTER 11**

Feeling very excited Sydney dressed in less than five minutes and immediately rushed out the door with Nigel trailing behind her. However, having thought about the note again, she began to wonder if she'd missed something, or even if there was anything else in the envelope! She, therefore, asked Nigel to drive them to the tower, enabling her to feel right into the corners of the packet while they were on their way. Sadly though, she'd missed nothing and there was simply no way of identifying who'd written the note as, obviously, it had been typed. The only extra things she noticed were that the paper was very high quality and that the note had been written by someone of high intelligence, who knew how to punctuate!

"Oh well, I guess we'll soon see who sent it Nige….now it says to go to the ticket booth right next to the news stand" Sydney said, as Nigel parked the car as close to the Tower as he could "right….that's the booth over there….do you recognise anyone?"

"No…nobody….but they said they want to meet us up there" he said, looking up at the massively high Tower "I'll um…ask the ticket lady if anyone's left a message for us, they must have some reason for asking us to go to that particular booth."

"Yes OK" she said, deciding to walk over with him.

"I'm Monsieur Bailey…has" Nigel said, looking up at the lady inside the booth who interrupted him before he could finish.

"Ah Monsieur Bailey" she said, smiling at the handsome young man as she handed him another envelope, identical to the other one "I wuz told to 'and this to you."

"Oh um… Merci" he said, immediately handing it to Sydney

"It contains two tickets for the lift….and a note that says go to the top please, I hope you'll be glad that you did" Sydney said, looking quite intrigued "well Nige….I hope we'll be glad too!….Oh but Sweetie…will you be OK?.…I keep forgetting how much you hate heights….and the lift is quite exposed…..although the top of the tower's encaged….so you'll be quite safe."

Nigel looked up at the exterior of the tower again and began to feel quite sick "Oh God!" he said.

"Sweetie…do you want to wait down here? I don't want you to be ill...but you know Nige….I've always wanted to see Paris at night….from up there….I think it'll be quite magical…..especially if you're there with me."

"Oh Syd….I know it'll be nice for you...but I'll um….have to go too….because whoever it is wants us both up there…..I'll um….just snuggle up to you and bury my eyes in your shoulders…if um….that's alright with you?" Nigel said, taking hold of her hand as they started making their way to the lift.

"Of course it's alright Nige…you don't need my permission!.….I love cuddling with you!" she said, walking into the lift and throwing her arms around him.

"Is he alright Madame?" the lift attendant asked, smiling strangely at both of them.

"He'll be fine once we reach the top" Sydney replied, feeling a little on edge as the man was smiling at her rather creepily.

"I will 'ave to put you out on zee second floor…you 'ave to change elevators to go to zee top" the attendant said, continuing to smile strangely. Nigel didn't open his eyes even once as they ascended the first two floors and he held onto Sydney even tighter as they went to the top; although he certainly enjoyed snuggling up to her!

"We're here Sweetie, let's find out who's waiting for us….oh but Nige…I'm a bit suspicious of that guy in the first lift…I think he knows something…..so keep your eyes peeled!" Sydney whispered, so that the other lift attendant wouldn't hear.

They cautiously stepped out onto the viewing platform and looked left and right "strange…we were the only ones in the lifts and now it looks like we're the only people up here as well!...That is unless whoever we're meeting is around the other side…..walk with me Nige…but be careful…this really is a bit odd."

They carefully walked around the viewing platform twice, barely noticing the stunning views at all in their eagerness to meet the author of the note "There's nobody here Nige!" Sydney said; feeling a little annoyed.

"No I um…guess not…. Um Syd…..come over here for a minute" Nigel said, looking rather sheepish "th…there's a w….wonderful view of the Sacré-Coeur o…over here….we may as well um….take advantage of seeing it since we're here anyway."

Sydney looked into the distance and smiled "Oh my goodness….it's stunning…that's one of the reasons I've always wanted to come up here at night….they light it up so beautifully…in fact the whole of Paris looks amazing from up here…..just as I thought it would."

"I…I'm glad you like it Syd" Nigel said, as he clung on to the railings and began to look queasy.

Sydney brushed the hair off his face with her hand "Is the height affecting you Sweetie? Look…there's nobody up here to meet us…so if you're feeling nauseous we can go back down right now…they'll just have to contact us another time" she said, suddenly feeling guilty as she believed he'd just felt obliged to come up there with her.

"Oh um, not um….not just yet" he said, putting his hand in his pocket "I um…um want to um…..g…give you something" he said, looking like a shy little boy who'd brought something home for his mum that he'd made at school.

"Oh…what is it Sweetie; surely it can wait until we're back on firm ground and you're feeling better" she said, noticing that he really did look quite unwell.

"Um…no…it…it really c…can't wait" He said, having a quick look around.

"Hey what…what's going on!?" she said, slightly louder than normal, barely believing what Nigel appeared to be doing as he took a very deep breath and got down on one knee!

"Syd…w…will you make me the happiest man in the world and…and marry me?"

Sydney's eyes almost popped out of her head as Nigel looked up at her and showed her a stunningly beautiful diamond engagement ring!

"Oh my God Nigel!...Of course I'll marry you!" she said, looking overjoyed yet quite astonished as she realised Nigel had totally set her up! "Oh Sweetie….it's such a beautiful ring….but you're a sneaky little devil!"

"Sorry…my beautiful angel" Nigel said, blinking back tears of joy as he took hold of her hand, slid the ring on her finger and got up and kissed her.

"Sweetie….Sweetie….the ring….It...it's practically identical to my mom's!….Except hers has an emerald in the centre!" Sydney said, noticing he smiled cheekily and feeling then that it was no coincidence!

"You mean like this?" he said, pulling out another small box from his pocket and showing her what was inside.

"Hey!...That…that's my mom's ring!" she uncharacteristically squealed, feeling totally confused!

"That's right…..it is….and it's yours as well" he said, handing it to her and explaining that Randal had given it to him to use as an engagement ring "I...I didn't want to upset him by telling him I'd prefer to buy one myself…so I took it and kept it for you….but um….the thing is….when I was looking for the perfect engagement ring….I…well….I realised that your mum's ring was actually just that….the perfect ring!...So I had it copied….but…obviously…I exchanged the emerald for a diamond."

"Oh Nigel….you're just so amazing…..I've always loved my mom's ring….but well…diamonds are forever" she said, throwing her arms around him and kissing him on the lips.

"Yes….forever and ever my Angel" Nigel said, trying not to think about how high up they were.

"Nige…..did you…..did you pay someone to let us have the tower to ourselves!?"

"Well um….yes…Preston knows Alain Chase…who's in charge of the tower…..and…..well…..Alain very kindly….for a large sum of money….closed the top of the tower for us….all I had to do was get you here….then as soon as we collected our tickets…he moved everyone off the top…probably told them there was an emergency or something…he'll let them all back up here again as soon as we leave!" Nigel said; noticing Sydney actually looked dumbfounded!

"You really are quite remarkable Nigel Bailey" she said, as the lift door opened "Sooooo…..I guess we'd better leave now so they can come back up….do you want to go back to the hotel?...Or are you planning to fly me to the moon!?"

"Well um…..maybe not the moon….but a quick flight to London for a few days would be nice….wouldn't it? Nigel said, looking at her cheekily.

"Are you kidding me!?" She said, looking him straight in the eye.

"No…Gerard's waiting for us at the airport right now…you remember him…he flew us to Malta" Nigel said, as he put his head on Sydney's shoulder and prepared to go down in the lift.

"Yeah of course I do….but what about our luggage….and I haven't chosen a relic yet!" Sydney said; feeling unusually overwhelmed.

"Oh um…..don't worry about that…the hotel staff started packing our bags the moment we left…they've probably already transported them to the plane….now all we have to do it get there too!" Nigel said, cuddling into her as close as possible as he listened to the creaking of the lift as it moved downwards.

"And the relic?" she said, hoping he'd had a plan for that.

"We can come back to Paris in a day or two to collect it" Nigel said, wishing they'd reached the bottom "Jean-Paul will take ages to sort them out anyway."

My goodness Nige….you can be so assertive when you want to!…I just hope I'll get to choose my own wedding dress!" Sydney joked; as they swapped lifts, realising Nigel would rather cut his own throat than go shopping for that!

"Um…um….are we nearly down?" Nigel asked, taking a quick look at Sydney's face and closing his eyes again just as they stopped moving.

Once the lift doors opened, they made a quick dash for the car as, unfortunately, it was raining and they had no umbrella. This time though Sydney decided she'd like to drive, not only because Nigel was still feeling a bit dizzy, but because she wanted to watch her ring sparkle in the moonlight as she held onto the steering wheel!

Having jumped into the car Nigel began to wonder if Sydney was feeling a tad unneeded right now, not only because he'd done quite a few things on his own lately, but because of her comment about her wedding dress. He sat there for a good ten minutes pondering this before he felt brave enough to ask her about it.

"Um….Syd….wh…what you said about your um….wedding dress….I…I'm sure you'll pick something stunning by yourself….and…and you know you can choose whatever you like for the wedding itself….I…um….sort of assume you'll want a church ceremony….but it's totally up to you….have a castle…hotel….or even a marquee….I really don't mind….you choose the date…the reception….the cake….you'll be great at all of that...I won't have time to do it for a while…I need to study extra hard…I um want to finish my Masters as soon as possible and start on my PhD….but um…I hope you'll be able to find some time to help me with that too" Nigel said, looking pleadingly at Sydney, who instantly knew what he was thinking, because he'd never needed her help with his studies before!

"Of course I'll help you Sweetie and well….if you're sure you don't mind me making all the decisions on the wedding I'll do that too…..I definitely want the 25th August….that gives us just over four months….I already know exactly where I want the wedding too...there's this beautiful little church near the house I grew up in…on Hawaii"

"Well um…the date sounds good" Nigel said, feeling quite worried about the location when his 'family' all lived in London!

"Yes….it's the same date my parent's married Sweetie….they were so happy" Sydney said, trying hard to concentrate on the road "Oh and I'd like you and you're your best man…Preston...to have dark green jackets with tartan kilts exactly the same as Angus'….that tartan had a lovely shade of purple in it….you remember Angus Sweetie….from the Scottish castle where we were found the lost Twining Ring?"

Nigel nodded, but he was far too shocked to interrupt her; even though he was glad she'd considered he'd want Preston as his best man!

"Actually Sweetie….you know what?….Copies of the Twining Rings would be a nice touch…and I think the bridesmaids should have frilly pink dresses….you know….the ones with the big puffy sleeves…oh and they should probably carry purples flowers to match your tartan…..and then….then maybe you and Preston could have pink ties to match their dresses…that would look amazing!"

Nigel looked quite horrified, but Sydney was really enjoying explaining what she'd like, so she barely noticed his expression "oh…do you know what would be really cool?" she began again "A cake shaped like Elvis' guitar….with a Buddha sat next to the bride and groom on the neck! In fact….yes…yes…let's have a relic hunting themed wedding!…It'll be so cool Nige….everyone will love it!"

Nigel was speechless…but by then he believed that if he objected to anything, he'd upset her and spoil the rest of the day; which he couldn't bear to do when she looked so happy.

Having reached the airport, and dropped off the hire, car they went through passport control with no problem at all, as Nigel, obviously knowing the plan, had kept their passports in his coat pocket all day.

Once they'd boarded the plane, Gerard kissed Sydney and shook Nigel's hand "my goodness Nigel….you're looking well…that must be due to this delightful young lady" he said, smiling fondly at both of them.

"It is Gerard…it is" Nigel said, his queasiness having gone away "I love her more than life itself."

"That's exactly what Mrs Jackson said!" Gerard replied, smiling at both of them.

"Oh! That's nice" Nigel said, sitting down next to Sydney and pulling her close; hoping desperately she'd reconsider her wedding choices when she'd had the chance to really think about it!

"Oh your suitcases are just there by the drinks cabinet if you need to get anything out….they should be fine there….I'm afraid I couldn't find an air hostess to help on this flight….so just help yourself to anything you want….the refrigerator's full" Gerard said, opening it up for them to see and taking out some champagne.

"Thanks Gerard" Sydney said, lying back in her seat.

"You know Preston's absolutely beside himself with excitement….he can't wait to see you" Gerard said, handing them each a glass of bubbly "right then…..the flight will be about an hour and ten minutes….I'm afraid the rain might cause a bit of turbulence…but nothing too horrendous….now fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the flight."

After Gerard had gone to the cockpit, and taken off, he put on some relaxing music, which he hoped his passengers would enjoy. However, having been in the air for half an hour, Sydney noticed that Nigel was far from relaxed, in fact, he looked rather on edge "Are you OK Nige? You've hardly said a word since take off" she said, looking deeply into his eyes "you're not still feeling woozy from being up in the tower are you?"

"No…no…I'm fine Syd….just pondering a few things….sorry…do you want something to eat….or drink? There're some delicious things in the fridge" Nigel said, getting up to see what she might like.

"I'd just like a diet Coke please Sweetie" Sydney said, noticing Nigel was totally distracted as he poured out her drink and brought it over to her "Nigel…come on now….spit it out…what's the matter?...I can see you've got something on your mind."

"Oh…Syd….please don't get upset….but…but…well….about the wedding"

"Yes…what about it Nige?"

"I…I know I said you can have anything you want….but…but are you really sure about….well…Hawaii? And….and…the tartan and that bloody cake!? It's…um….well...it's not really what I thought you'd choose for our special day" Nigel said, holding his hands over his face and peeping through his fingers, waiting for all hell to break loose!

Sydney looked furious and turned her head away quickly and then just stared out of the window. Believing then that he was about to feel her wrath, he started to grovel when, suddenly, she flicked her hair and turned back to face him "Ha! Got Ya!...Of course I don't want all those silly things Sweetie!" she said, laughing at Nigel's shocked little face.

"Oh thank God! Thank God!" Nigel said, putting his hand on his heart and looking quite relieved "Nana's too frail to travel all the way to Hawaii."

"Actually I….well I really would like to have the wedding there….but obviously I would hate it if your Nana couldn't come….so shall we say…London?" Sydney said, smiling widely as his face lit up.

"Oh Syd…thank you, thank you so much….of course…if you like….we can have a blessing at that church…um….right after the honeymoon….oh and you can choose wherever you want to go for that too" Nigel said, believing she'd want to go somewhere really beautiful.

"No Nige…you choose that" Sydney said, realising he liked to be warm, so he'd probably choose the Caribbean, or somewhere in the Mediterranean; either way she didn't mind.

"Oh…OK then...I'll try to come up with something spectacular for you" Nigel said, cuddling up to her again. It was only a very short time after that that the plane landed at Heathrow; where it had turned very cold indeed for the time of year.

Gerard quickly put their suitcases onto a trolley and smiled at the attractive couple "right you two…enjoy your visit and let me know when you need to fly back….I have a few bookings coming up…but I'll always find a way to fit you in….now I'm afraid I've got to move the plane so I'll say goodbye….um…give Preston my best wishes and tell him I'll see him soon."

"Thanks Gerard" Nigel said, as he started to shiver quite badly.

"Yeah thanks" Sydney said, waving as he left.

"Hey Syd look….it's Preston!" Nigel said, excitedly, just as they came through the barrier in arrivals. Nigel threw his arms around his older brother and they held each other for quite some time without saying a word. Sydney watched them in amazement as she recalled the big tantrum Nigel had had at the airport in Rio, when she'd secretly invited Preston to join them there!

"Podge…I'm so glad you could make it…Mrs Jackson and Nathan are in the limo waiting for you….and Sydney….welcome back…did you have a good flight? Preston said, kissing her on both cheeks and grabbing hold of the trolley.

"Yes it was fine…but wow it's so cold here Preston…it's much warmer in Paris right now" Sydney said, taking hold of Nigel's outstretched hand and noticing how cold he was already.

"Yes I believe it is….oh Podge…come on…it'll be nice and warm in the limo…it's just over there" Preston said, noticing his brother shiver and pointing to the car park just across the road.

Within two minutes they were stood by the car where Nathan got out and gave Nigel a huge bear hug "welcome home Little Einstein…hey you're freezing!…Go and get in the car…you too Sydney" Nathan said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and then opening the door for them both.

Nigel insisted Sydney got in first and then Preston, so that he'd be able to sit next to Mrs Jackson without anyone having to move out of the way "Nana…nana…oh my gosh…it's so good to see you…but you really shouldn't have come out in the cold to meet me" he said, as they embraced.

"Oh sweetheart I simply couldn't wait to see you….and it's so lovely to see you too Sydney...I think you've been looking after him well…he's even got rosy cheeks!" she said, suddenly realising that that was mostly because he was really cold "I'll give you an electric blanket to put on your bed when we get home…can't have you catching cold now, can we?"

"That'll be great Mrs Jackson" Sydney said, looking forward to getting into that warm bed.

"Sydney….please call me Nana now…you're almost part of the family anyway" the elderly lady said, noticing Nigel give her a huge smile.

Just over an hour later they reached the Bailey house and noticed it was pitch black "What happened…has there been a power cut?" Nigel asked, expecting at least to see the exterior lights on in the front garden.

"Um maybe" Preston said, helping Nathan take the suitcases out of the car.

"Hold my arm Nana….would you take her other arm please Syd…it's so dark" Nigel said, feeling quite worried that his beloved Nana might fall over.

A minute later Mrs Jackson opened the front door and, just like magic, all of the lights came on "Surprise!" dozens of people shouted!

"Oh my gosh!?" Nigel said, smiling broadly as he realised Preston and the staff had arranged a lovely party to welcome them back home and, obviously, to celebrate their engagement. Of course, Nigel recognised most of them, although there were some strangers, most of them being women who looked ultra glamourous and seemed to be eyeing up Preston!

Having mingled for a few minutes and having received lots of hugs and kisses, Sydney and Nigel eventually sat down "congratulations you two" Harry Middleton, the family lawyer said, appearing from nowhere "I still think you're too young for marriage Nigel….but at least if you have to marry an American….Sydney Fox is one of the better ones…yes she's quite pretty…..and highly intelligent…just like you young man."

"Oh…um…I've grown up a bit in the last year Sir….so…so I think I'm ready" Nigel said; feeling a little tense as he picked two glasses of champagne and handed one to Sydney.

"Oh he's ready alright" Sydney said, trying not to take offence at what the lawyer had said "Sweetie you're still shivering…why don't you go and have a quick shower to warm yourself up….the guests will understand."

"Oh thanks Syd…but aren't you cold too?"

"No Sweetie I'm fine…I warmed up in the car….but you obviously didn't…now go and get warm…I'll be fine here with Auntie Alice…and Mr Middleton" she said, giving the lawyer a slightly sarcastic smile.

"I'll be as quick as I can" Nigel said, running into the hallway and finding himself just behind Nathan who was carrying one of the suitcases up the stairs.

"You're on the third floor Einstein" Nathan said, turning around to Nigel "um…do you need both cases?"

"I'd better have them both as I've no idea which one has the things I need in it….we didn't pack them ourselves you see….anyway...let me take that one from you and I'll run down to get the other case in a minute…going up and down stairs might warm me up a bit….but I still want a quick shower."

"Actually there's plenty of shower gel and shampoo in the bathroom…so you can go straight in…I don't want you catching a cold" Nathan said, refusing to give Nigel the case and carrying on up the stairs.

As soon as they reached the third floor they walked along the wide corridor which had one very large bedroom on each side "I see this has all been repainted since I was last up here" Nigel said, wondering if the guest bedrooms had been redone too.

"Yes…the decorators did a nice job…um you're in here Einstein" Nathan said, standing outside the door on the left.

"Um…um…are you sure….th.…that was um…mum and dad's room…Preston always puts couples in that room" Nigel said, pointing to the door on the right and looking rather confused.

"Yes I know….but nobody's used this room since your parents passed away so Preston….well all of us really….thought it was about time it was used again…especially since you'll be getting married soon and goodness knows what else!" Nathan said, looking at Nigel's surprised face "we're hoping you'll want to use this room whenever you're in London….we've had it redecorated….but you can change it if you like….you'll see there's plenty of room for extra furniture."

Nigel opened the door very slowly and noticed that the large bed that his parents had used for most of their married life; was still there; albeit the mattress had been changed. There was a space left along one wall, which he knew was where his and Preston's cots used to be; until he and his brother were old enough to have their own rooms on the floor below. Obviously, though, when Nigel returned home after his horrific ordeal with Ferreira's gang, when he was six, Mr and Mrs Bailey temporarily moved downstairs to a smaller room, so that they'd be close to him.

"Oh…um…I see what you mean about there being room for extra furniture Nathan….but I um…don't…don't think we'll be…um…needing that kind of furniture for a little while yet…but this is beautiful….and Syd's going to love it" Nigel said, looking around at the newly painted white walls and yellow flowered bedding and curtains.

Nathan smiled at Nigel and noticed he was blushing a little "hey come on now….go and get in the shower….and when you're finished there's plenty of underwear and other things in the drawers and wardrobe….it's what you left here last time….you may as well use it" Nathan said, before leaving Nigel to discover the stunning new bathroom Preston had had fitted for him and Sydney.

Nigel was delighted when he saw the new bathroom, but he was more concerned with getting the hot water running over his cold body, than what the room looked like. Of course, once he was warm he was able to see how thoughtfully the room had been designed, with two sinks, a Jacuzzi bath, a walk-in shower and plenty of storage!

Back downstairs, Sydney was enjoying herself with some of the guests she'd met before, although, bearing in mind how important Harry Middleton was to the Bailey family, she felt obliged to chat with him as well; particularly as he looked so left out! Even though Preston could see she was finding Harry a little irritating, he was pleased to see her making an effort, especially as he believed she must know how nervous Nigel was in his presence. Preston was actually correct as Sydney was aware of Nigel's feeling towards the lawyer, although she realised too that Harry wasn't a bad man, just a little old fashioned and set in his ways.

Having interrupted Sydney's conversation to ask where Nigel was, Preston immediately went upstairs to see him, not only because he wanted to have a word with him but because he needed to get away from some rather clingy women who were at the party.

Once he'd reached the second floor he bumped into Mrs Jackson who asked him to take an electric blanket up to Nigel's room. Naturally, Preston was only too glad to do that, especially as it would save the elderly lady's legs and he was going there anyway.

Having reached the third floor he knocked on Nigel's door and went straight in, where he placed the blanket on a chair for now "Podge it's just me" he called through the bathroom door "I need a quick word please….I um….hope you're OK with this room."

Nigel immediately came out wearing a large towel around his waist "the room's amazing Pres….thanks…what's the matter…you look worried" he said, rubbing his hair in a smaller towel "Syd's alright isn't she?"

"Yes….she's fine….she's chatting with Harry….look…I…um…just need to know that things are alright with you" Preston said, while Nigel chose some clothes to put on "I couldn't ask you earlier when we were all in the car….I didn't want to worry Mrs Jackson."

"Everything's fine Pres…really….things are great!" he said, picking up his underwear and trousers and walking into the bathroom "won't be a minute."

Preston waited and two minutes later Nigel popped his head around the door "just going to dry my hair a bit more…then I'll be right with you" he said, closing the door again, having noticed that his brother still looked very anxious. Guilt soon got the better of Nigel though, so instead of drying his hair completely, he came out with it still damp "what's worrying you Pres?"

"Sit down Podge…look…I need to talk to you about…about…well….the hunt you've just been on…why haven't told anyone how it went?" Preston said, looking a little annoyed.

"Oh…sorry Pres….it was an absolutely brilliant hunt…..we um…found some amazing Knights Templar relics…they're at the Louvre right now…but they're giving Syd one to take back to Trinity!" Nigel said enthusiastically; noticing Preston didn't look satisfied with his reply.

"That….that's wonderful Podge…but I want to know how you were afterwards!….Did you sleep alright?…Did you have any nightmares?...Things like that…Nancy said you didn't call her after the hunt either….although you'd promised you would!"

"Oh God….I'm so sorry Pres I forgot…things got so complicated in Paris…you know…collecting the ring….talking to Alain Chase about closing the tower…and…and hiding things from Syd!" Nigel said, remembering he'd promised Preston, prior to flying to France, when they were organising Sydney's Eiffel Tower surprise, that he'd call him and Nancy "But…but…actually I was fine…I slept OK…really I did….so you can stop worrying."

Preston looked a little sceptical "so there's nothing I should know about that hunt then? It went smoothly….with no problems and you had no bad after-effects?"

"Oh well….I suppose you'd better know.….Sydney's probably already mentioned it in her excitement to tell a good story to the guests" Nigel said, going on to explain how they'd been attacked by some thugs with guns!

"Oh my God Podge!…Th….that's terrible! But…..I'm even more surprised now that you had no nightmares!...Now come on….tell me the truth?...I know you don't like worrying anyone but…but that just makes things worse!" Preston said, looking very serious.

"I am Pres.…honestly….I was alright….ask Syd…she'll tell you."

"Podge….swear that's true….and make sure you talk to Nancy" Preston said, walking with Nigel to the door so that they could go back downstairs to re-join the party.

"It's true Pres...I swear…look…there're always going to be rival relic hunters….but you don't need to worry anymore…..we have this guy…Jim Bird…to protect us….he used to be a professional wrestler" Nigel said, explaining that Jim would be coming along on all future hunts, even though Sydney was still capable of beating the heck out of anyone who tried to attack them.

By the time they got downstairs, Preston felt a lot better, although he made Nigel promise that he'd never forget to ring him again after a hunt!

As soon as they returned to the party Nigel was immediately surrounded by the guests, some of whom had arrived while he was having a shower. Noticing, however, that he looked a little bit overwhelmed by all of the attention, Sydney rushed over and took his arm "come on Sweetie….would you excuse him please….he's had nothing to eat since early this morning" she said, handing him her own glass of wine and dragging him by the hand to the buffet.

"Thanks for rescuing me Syd….sorry I took so long upstairs" Nigel said, just as Alice came over to give him a hug and grab some caviar and crackers "Oh Auntie Alice it's so nice to see you…are you well?"

"Yes I'm fine Sweetheart…especially now I see how happy you two are…Sydney told me you've overcome your anxiety….I'm so pleased!" Alice whispered in his ear.

"Oh um…thanks Auntie…it um….took a while but…but I think I have.…at least with my beautiful Sydney anyway" Nigel said; feeling a little embarrassed, as he recalled, once again, the time that he and Sydney tried to make love in Alice's back room!

"Well Sydney's special Sweetheart….so I don't think you'll ever need to worry about being with anyone else! Now I must go and find Preston…try some caviar darling….it's delicious" Alice said as she left the young couple in peace.

Of course, within minutes of Alice leaving yet more guests came over to offer their congratulations to the couple; which made Sydney feel very welcome in the Bailey 'family'. Nigel, however, began to feel rather uncomfortable again with all of the attention; although he was far too polite to just move away.

After about an hour of people continually shaking their hands and hugging them, Nigel was feeling quite shaky and gave Sydney's hand a tight squeeze, hoping she'd realise he needed to get out of there! Fortunately, though, before Sydney had a chance to do anything, Nancy noticed Nigel had that anxious look on his face and managed to get both of them away by pretending Mrs Jackson needed them in the kitchen!

"Um…I think Nana's still at the party Nancy" Nigel said, as they walked towards the kitchen.

"No she's not….she's upstairs, I just said that because I could see you were getting stressed….sorry Sydney if you were enjoying the party" Nancy said, pointing to a couple of chairs "sit down a minute….I just need a quick word with Nigel."

Nigel immediately guessed what she wanted to say as, obviously, Preston had told him earlier. Therefore, before Nancy could tell him off, he apologised for not ringing her and explained what happened during and after the hunt.

"My goodness…I'm amazed" Nancy said, turning away from Nigel and then looking directly at Sydney "is it true Sydney…he really didn't have any nightmares?"

"Yes it is…but Nancy but we both know he could still have bad reactions to what happened in the past" Sydney said, patting Nigel's knee.

"Yes I know that could still happen" Nigel said, giving Nancy a huge smile "but at the moment I'm so happy I don't think there's room in my head for bad thoughts….or anything else that might give me nightmares!"

"Well you seem to have made amazing progress Nigel….but I still want you to call me immediately if you have any setbacks….oh and call me for a chat anyway every now and again…I don't want to lose touch with you" Nancy said, looking really happy as she got up off the chair.

"Thanks Nancy…I'll call….I promise…but hopefully just for those lovely warm chats we have" Nigel said, noticing Nancy looked quite delighted as she returned to the party.

"Shall we hide in here a little while longer Syd?" Nigel said, pulling her close to his side.

"Oh yes….I definitely think we should!"

"Nancy seems really pleased with me Syd…even though she kind of rescued me from the party!" Nigel said, realising then that being the centre of attention, or in a crowd, had always bothered him, long before he went to Rio.

"Yeah I think she was delighted….and so am I…but you know feeling like you do at parties is actually quite normal…it's only when you're surrounded by people and feel trapped and disorientated that it's a problem….but I love my shy handsome Nigel Bailey just the way he is!" Sydney said, gently kissing him on the lips "we'll go back to the party in about twenty minutes…but you'd better text Preston so he'll know where we are...you know how he worries.…although he might actually come and join us….there are so many woman at the party who have their eyes on him!"

The party actually finished quite soon after they returned to it, as everyone realised the young couple were tired and Preston wanted to get rid of the women, who were obviously, gold-diggers! It was still quite a while before they actually went to bed though, as they had to take their engagement presents to their room and opened one or two.

Sydney, of course, was also very aware that she hadn't called her father yet to tell him the wonderful news. Therefore, before she settled down for the night with Nigel, she put that right! Naturally, he was over the moon with joy, although she didn't mention that Nigel had given her a diamond ring, as well as her mom's, but he was very impressed at Nigel's ingenuity in getting his daughter to the top of the Eiffel Tower!

Having stayed at the London house for a few days, where they did very little but eat, drink, watch TV and play board games with the 'family', they eventually packed their suitcases and returned with Gerard to Paris. However, having received so many wonderful gifts, they decided to leave some permanently at the house and asked Preston to ship the others to Boston for them.

As soon as Sydney and Nigel checked back into their Parisian hotel, they went directly to Jim's room to ask if he'd like to come to the Louvre to help them choose a relic. Of course, he was delighted to do that as, although he was enjoying being in Paris, it wasn't as much fun on his own.

Jean-Paul had already set aside several pieces that he thought Sydney and Nigel might like; all of which were absolutely amazing and priceless! Eventually though, after looking at the items several times, Sydney chose a jewel encrusted sword, similar to the one that belonged to Jacques de Molay. However, because Jean-Paul was so grateful to the team of relic hunters for finding the treasures, he gave her a shield to go with it!

Bearing in mind, however, that the relics were so valuable, a lot of paperwork had to be done before they could be removed from the museum and taken out of the country. However, once it was completed and filed, they all said goodbye to Jean-Paul and Michel, who'd already started his new job at the museum, and returned to their hotel.

Naturally, having had such an exhausting day, as soon as they got back to their hotel room they got ready for bed, hoping to get a good night's sleep before their flight back to Boston, the following day. Unfortunately, however, that wasn't to be, as Nigel, out of the blue, had his first nightmare in ages! "Don't touch me!...Get away!" he screamed, having no idea where he was "no…no…leave me alone!".

"Sweetie…Sweetie it's alright…it's just a bad dream" Sydney said, trying to calm him down as he tossed and turned in the bed.

"Go away!"

"Nige….it's Sydney….you're safe…I'm here now!" she said, stroking his head gently.

"Syd!" he called out "Syd!"

"I'm here Sweetie…I'm here" she said, noticing how disorientated he was as he started to wake up. A minute or so later, however, he was fully awake and immediately threw his arms around her and held her tightly.

"It was horrible Syd…horrible….Ferreira cut your beautiful face with…with…a sword and…and Maria was touching me over and over again!" Nigel said, blinking back the tears as he clung onto her.

"Sweetie, you know it wasn't real….oh God….if I could dream your dreams for you I would….I hate seeing you suffer this way" Sydney said, kissing the top of his head as he cuddled into her shoulder.

"I know you would Syd…I know" Nigel said, starting to feel slightly embarrassed "I…I'm going to wash my face….um don't worry…I'll be fine….It was probably caused by seeing all those swords at the Louvre…and…and….because Jim told me about a movie he saw on TV last night…. 'The Texas Chainsaw' something or other….God it sounded gruesome."

"I think I'll be having words with Jim about that!" Sydney said, realising, of course, that Jim wouldn't have deliberately tried to make Nigel have nightmares.

"No don't Syd….please…it's embarrassing" Nigel said, rushing into the bathroom but leaving the door open.

"Well…OK….but don't listen to him the next time he starts talking about movies….he's a horror movie buff! Now come back out here and place that gorgeous body of yours next to mine!" she said, noticing he immediately popped his head around the bathroom door, smiled and then rushed back to bed!

Realising that Nigel seemed very eager, they immediately made love, although Sydney was slightly aware that Nigel flinched a few times, which she hoped was not triggered by thoughts of Maria! Thankfully, though he was fine for the rest of the night and even when he slept for a couple of hours during their flight, the following day, he had no further nightmares and seemed to be back to his happy self.

Once they arrived back in Boston Nigel gave Nancy a quick call to let her know he'd had a 'minor set-back'. However, once she'd heard his explanation as to what he believed caused the nightmare, she considered he was probably correct, which was a relief to both him and Sydney.

The following morning, having had good night's sleep, Sydney and Nigel returned to Trinity and immediately presented Dean Bernson with the sword and shield. Naturally he was delighted with them, although the news that Sydney and Nigel had gotten engaged filled him with joy as well. However, having gotten it into his head that their marriage wouldn't take place for ages yet, the Dean was shocked to receive holiday requests for the last two weeks of August and first two weeks of September for that very reason!

 **In the next chapter they arrange the wedding!**


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

Having spent a week or so working very hard at Trinity, Sydney and Nigel were surprised to receive a written invitation from Professor Cater, of Yale University, to go to Peru. With the invite he sent a hand-made map and a letter which advised that there were two priceless statues hidden in Machu Picchu, which he wanted them to find. The Professor's letter went on to say that he'd found the map in his late grandfather's belongings and was convinced that it showed the precise location of the statues. Having explained too that his grandfather was once an archaeologist, who'd helped remove many relics and artefacts from Machu Picchu; he expected Sydney to jump at the chance of trying to find them!

Initially, however, Sydney felt rather sceptical about the existence of the statues, mainly because millions of visitors go to Machu Picchu every year and she, therefore, believed that someone would have stumbled across them by now. Nevertheless, having read the letter a couple of times, and inspected the map again, she considered there was a possibility that they did. However, believing she needed a little more information Nigel handed her an old book "you know Syd…you'll recall…if you read that again…that when Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu back in 1911…his men removed and documented well over 350 relics and artefacts…..but when they arrived in the US…and they opened the crates they'd been packed in...several of the relics were missing….so it's quite possible that the statues were removed from the crates before they left Peru."

"Yeah…then I guess they could have been hidden in the ruins, in an awkward to find place…and perhaps the Professor's uncle never went back to retrieve them" Sydney said, looking a little distant.

"So I suppose we'll have to go and find them then Syd…that um…map…definitely appears to be authentic…you can see that the paper has aged correctly" Nigel said, also believing Sydney was about to get very excited and ask him to grab his backpack.

"Yeah it's a wonderful opportunity…but…well…we've only just got back from France.…and I still have so much to do in preparation for our wedding…no….I'm going to pass on this one Nige…at least for now anyway…plus you're studying like crazy!" Sydney said; noticing Nigel looked quite shocked.

"But if any information leaks out about those statues…it'll be too late! There'll be dozens of relic hunters all over Machu Picchu!" Nigel said, hardly believing his ears.

"I know….but do you actually want to go Nige?" Sydney asked, believing that was very unlikely with so much studying ahead of him.

"Um…well…no...not right now….in six months….yes….but look Syd….I'm sure you want to go….so I'll go with you….and I'm positive Jim will want to go too" Nigel said, believing she'd change her mind.

"No…there'll be other opportunities…I'll think about hunting again when I'm not so distracted with wedding plans" Sydney said, leaving the room so there'd be no further discussion.

Five days later, at 6 a.m. Nigel found out the real reason Sydney didn't want to go on that hunt "Happy Birthday Sweetie!" she said, handing him a card and whole pile of presents "oh and before I forget to tell you….Preston's calling you on Skype at six….and I expect there might be one or two other people with him as well."

"Oh Syd…..my beautiful angel! Thank you so much….I thought everyone would have forgotten about it this year with all the planning you're doing for our wedding….and because Preston's seriously looking for a wife….oh Syd….you're just so amazing….but…but you haven't arranged a party have you!?" he asked, looking slightly worried.

"No…I know you'd hate that….but I've booked the Orchid Restaurant for dinner tonight….at eight….and I have a couple of other surprises for you too…which I promise you'll love" Sydney said, kissing him on the lips"

"Oh my goodness, that's great!" Nigel said, as he started ripping the paper off his presents "Hey!…. I've tried to book us a table there several times…but they always said there was nothing available for months!"

"That's true…but I can be very persuasive" Sydney said, suddenly noticing Nigel's surprised expression when he found a rather sexy negligee in one of the parcels! "ummmm….surprise number one…..that's for later tonight Sweetie!"

"Oh….um….th….that'll be…um….lovely S…Syd…thank you!" Nigel said, suddenly understanding the joke and allowing his imagination to run wild!

"You're very welcome Nige."

"Um….thank you for the other lovely clothes too…this green shirt's fantastic….and this jacket is just what I need…oh…Hugo Boss….good label Syd!" he said, smiling widely as he held up the stylish jacket.

"I'm sure the sizes will be OK.…I checked them against the clothes in your wardrobe…you're going to look fabulous in those blue pants Nige….they're Hugo Boss as well" Sydney said, noticing Nigel looked totally thrilled that she'd chosen such trendy things.

Once he'd opened most of his presents and put the paper in the bin, there was a sudden knock on the door "it's a delivery Nige…it has to be for you" Sydney called out as she looked through the window."

Nigel rushed to the door realising the parcel must from his 'family' as obviously he knew now they hadn't forgotten his birthday.

So what did Preston send Nige?" Sydney asked excitedly, as she watched him open the large parcel and take out a golden coloured envelope, addressed to Podge.

"Oh my goodness Syd!….He's sent two front row tickets for The Lion King…..on Broadway!...Plus a night in the penthouse suite at the Four Seasons Hotel….and…and….Oh….Wow!...he's arranged for a private plane to take us there and back!" Nigel yelled excitedly, waving the tickets etc in the air.

"That's fantastic Sweetie!...What a great brother you have!"

"Yes…that's so true!…Actually though….I'm really surprised….you see I could imagine him buying tickets for a Shakespearean play…..or maybe to see him on stage with The London Symphony Orchestra…but not The Lion King...never!"

"Well he has Sweetie!"

"Yes…yes…he has….and it's amazing but um….how…..how on earth did he know I'd like to see The Lion King!?"

"He must be psychic!" she laughed, kissing him on the nose.

"Ah!...You told him what I said….didn't you!?" he replied, trying not to laugh as Sydney put on a very innocent expression and actually giggled "Yes…yes….I remember now….a couple of months ago I told you that when I was a teenager Preston wouldn't let me see light-hearted plays….or do anything frivolous as he didn't want me distracted from my studies."

"OK…OK….you got me Nige….but I didn't tell him everything you said…although despite that…he remembered it the same way as you do."

"So how did the subject of the theatre actually come up then?"

"He just asked me what I thought you'd like for your birthday….and well….I remembered that story….and that you'd still like to go one day…especially to see The Lion King."

"Oh um…what did he say to that?"

"Actually he looked quite sad…especially when I told him you've still never seen a musical play."

"Why was he sad?"

"Sweetie ….it was because he realised that you never had any fun when you were a kid….you know he still has bouts of guilt about the way he raised you…..so I think the tickets and everything else are his apology for being so strict."

"Oh Syd…I don't want him to continually feel like that about the past….he knows I've forgiven him….and he knows I understand how desperate he was for me to pass my exams and get my Degrees….I'll sort it out with him tonight….when we're on Skype."

"Nige maybe it would be best not to mention it….I think you should just let him know how happy you are with the tickets and how much you love him….otherwise you might end up discussing things that make you both miserable."

He smiled at her sweetly "I guess you're right Syd…it seems to have upset him when you mentioned it" Nigel said, looking rather thoughtful "No…no…I won't bring up the past at all….unless he does."

"He won't…he won't want to upset you either" Sydney said, picking up Nigel's half opened parcel and putting it on the table "oh…by the way….I asked Preston to try and get tickets for May 12th….this Saturday…..so that we won't need to take time off work...did he manage to do that?"

"Yes he did.…so only two days to wait!" Nigel said with a huge grin on his face, as he sat down at the table to see what else was in the box.

Having emptied it entirely, he discovered that Nathan had sent an extremely expensive black leather wallet, with 'Nigel' engraved on it, in gold and his Nana had sent a very carefully wrapped birthday cake, made with lots of cherries, currants and sultanas. She made the same type of cake ever year, as he enjoyed it so much; although this one was rather special, as she'd written something beautiful in the icing, on top. They both looked at it for a moment or two and then blinked back the tears as Sydney read out loud 'of all the wonderful things my hands have held, the best, by far, was you'.

"Oh Syd…I wish Nana was here right now so I could give her a hug."

"Me too Sweetie…me too."

Having finished opening his presents, he and Sydney rushed off to work where, much to Nigel's surprise, he was given more gifts from some of his and Sydney's students! All in all it turned out to be a wonderful day and he still had the evening to look forward to!

His chats with his family, that evening, were fun, and although Nigel still secretly wanted to reassure Preston, once again, that he'd truly forgiven him for the past; he kept that urge in check. However, after thanking his brother for the tickets and wishing him well in his search for the perfect wife, he realised Sydney was right, as Preston remained cheerful the entire time; whereas he always looked miserable when they discussed the past.

They arrived a little late at the Orchid, that evening, as Nigel spent a lot more time talking to Nana than he'd planned. Obviously, that was because of the beautiful message on the cake and because he loved her so much; so it didn't seem right to rush away.

Sydney, being the remarkable person that she was, had arranged for the British chef, at the Orchid, to make Nigel's favourite dinner; roast beef and Yorkshire pudding! Nigel was totally overjoyed; especially as the meal was cooked to perfection and was almost as good as he'd had at home!

He thoroughly enjoyed everything that happened that day, and felt truly loved; especially when he realised that Sydney had been planning it since before they went to France; and she'd given up an amazing hunt to ensure they could celebrate it together, at home!

Over the next few months Sydney continued putting things in place for their wedding, which she believed was going to be difficult, bearing in mind it was to take place in London. However, much to her surprise and relief, Preston purchased an amazing on-line business, which sold everything you could possibly need for a high class wedding, which totally took the pressure off her!

Using Preston's site meant that she was able to see beautiful photographs of models wearing suits and dresses in many different styles and colours. All Sydney had to do then was chose the outfits and provide them with the measurements of each member of the wedding party.

Preston was an absolute God send to Sydney on a personal level too, as he was also able to e-mail her photographs of the various churches and hotels he thought might be suitable for his brother's wedding. This, along with further information he was able to provide, enabled her to choose what she thought would be the best venues for the wedding and reception.

Obviously, she wanted the wedding to be spectacular, although she was careful what venues she chose, as she didn't want the guests to be uncomfortable, or have difficulties with transport. With that in mind, having booked the wedding at St Martins in the Field, a famous church in Trafalgar Square, she booked the reception at The Grand Hotel, five minutes' walk away, which would enable the guests to stroll from the church to the hotel with ease.

Naturally, Preston was always going to be Nigel's best man, but Sydney found it quite difficult to choose her bridesmaids! However, having given it some serious consideration, she believed it would be too upsetting for Karen to watch Nigel marrying her and Claudia wasn't the most reliable of girls, even with something so important! Despite that, she still felt they should be invited to the wedding itself, then it would be up to them to attend, or not.

Having given it some further thought, she realised then that the best ladies to ask would be her young step mother, Jenny, and her friend Darcy Lowe, whom she'd gone to school with. Naturally, those two women jumped at the chance, although, of course, they'd both be attending the wedding anyway as, obviously, Jenny was married to Randal Fox, who'd be giving Sydney away and Darcy had become quite close to Sydney again, having lost touch with her for quite some time.

Feeling really pleased that she'd resolved the bridesmaid problem, she then realised that her wedding party wouldn't be complete without at least two flower girls. Unfortunately though, having gone through her list of friends, none of them appeared to have any daughters who'd be young enough to do that. Believing then that she'd have to forget it, she suddenly recalled that Nigel's therapist, Nancy, had three four year old nieces, whom she'd occasionally bring with her when she counselled Nigel. The adorable little triplets used to cheer him up no end by singing and dancing together and, on one occasion, while she was staying at the London house, Sydney was able to witness that too.

Having spoken to Nancy she promised that she'd urgently check with the girls' mother to see if she'd agree to Sydney's request. This actually made Sydney feel quite on edge, as having mulled it over for a while, it was now something she really wanted! Happily though, Nancy quite quickly confirmed that there was no problem at all, and that the triplets were jumping for joy at the thought of seeing her and Nigel again and, of course, about being flower girls!

Sydney was ecstatic and immediately ran to her computer to choose identical dresses for the triplets from Preston's site.

Jenny and Darcy, having been asked to choose a dress from the site as well, individually picked out five gowns that they liked and then, joyfully, discovered they'd chosen three the same. Realising then that they had similar taste, they made Sydney very happy by choosing the same dress as their favourite, which amazingly, she liked best as well! That was such a relief to Sydney, as she wanted to please both of them, if she possibly could. Naturally, though, being very particular, Sydney chose the accessories, ensuring they'd compliment the flower girls' dresses and Nigel and Preston's outfits.

Of course, when it came to Sydney's dress, she was definitely not choosing that from any on line site! Having never had to purchase such an important dress before, she wanted to see as many gowns as possible to ensure she got one that suited her figure and colouring. Naturally, Jenny offered to spend a weekend with her scouring the bridal shops and eventually they bought something quite spectacular!

Feeling really excited that the wedding was now all arranged, the happy couple sent out their invitations, which were made of silk and had pretty blue hearts, flowers and horseshoes on them.

Obviously, Nigel had had little to do with the wedding arrangements, as he'd promised Sydney could do as she pleased. However, even though it was adding more work, there was one thing he decided he wanted, although he wasn't sure if it would fit in with Sydney's plans. Nevertheless, having given it some further thought, he decided to simply ask "Syd" he said, looking a little sheepish "I um….know I said all of the wedding ideas could be yours...but um….well….I was just wondering….would you mind if I um….ask Timmy and Charlie to be page boys?"

"Nigel! That's a wonderful idea!" she said, looking quite delighted "Oh….but it's a long way from Brazil to London…do you think the Bozens' would mind bringing them all that way?"

"I doubt they'll mind, I've spoken to Steven and Katrina a few times since the trial and they mentioned they'd taken them to Germany and Finland.…in fact it seems like they travel quite a bit with the boys' these days….it's because…well…for obvious reasons….they don't like leaving them at home anymore" Nigel said, thinking about how well behaved and brave the little boys were when he was trying to free them from Ferreira's mansion.

"Those two little guys are incredible Nige….but you know I'm still surprised they didn't suffer the same psychological symptoms as you" Sydney said, taking Nigel's hand and giving him a sympathetic look.

"Well…they did for a few months...right after they were released from the hospital…but luckily they didn't last too long...although Steven told me something quite remarkable about that….he said that even though the boys still have the odd nightmare….believing that their teddy bear has magical powers….and that he'd protect them…..was what…psychologically…helped them get through what they suffered at the mansion….and afterwards" Nigel said, looking quite serious.

"I wish it had been as simple as that for you Sweetie" Sydney said, smiling at him lovingly.

"Me too….but you know what…..I still have the bear the twins gave me to um….keep me safe….so perhaps I should give him a hug or two.…maybe that'll unleash some magical powers and prevent any further nightmares!" Nigel joked, looking at Sydney with a half-smile on his face.

"Hey…who knows….stranger things have happened on relic hunts!" she replied, as she got up to pour out some coffee.

"Yes they certainly have…..um….you know Syd…..thinking about it….I might actually take the bear to London if the twins agree to being page boys…I imagine they'll be pleased to see him again."

"Yes I think you'd better.….they obviously believe the bear has special powers…so they'll be worried if you haven't got it" Sydney said, realising Nigel already knew that.

"I think I'll ring the Bozens' right now…because if the twins are OK with being page boys…Steven and Katrina will need as much time as possible to organise the trip…oh and sort out their suits with Preston" Nigel said, picking up the phone

"I hope the little guys will want to do it….they're just so cute!" Sydney said, handing Nigel some coffee and sitting down next to him so that she could listen in over the speaker phone.

Having overheard Nigel chatting with Steven for a while, Sydney was thrilled when Steven passed the phone to Katrina, and she immediately agreed to Nigel's request. Obviously, Nigel was delighted too; although having talked at length about the wedding and Preston's site, all he really wanted to do then was have a quick chat with the twins.

Even though it was way past their bedtime, Katrina allowed them to speak to him, as she realised how upset they'd be if she didn't. Although they were, obviously, quite tired, and they both had bad colds, Nigel and the boys had a very comical conversation. Sadly though, for some reason, he couldn't prevent memories of Manuel's attempt to violate them invading his mind; although he skilfully hid that from Sydney!

Being unaware of how Nigel was feeling, she smiled widely, as soon as he put the phone down "Oh Sweetie, they're coming…they're coming!" she uncharacteristically shrieked "I'm so glad….I really wish I'd thought of asking them myself though….I guess I just got too caught up with the bridesmaids….sorry Sweetie."

"Oh, don't worry about it Syd.…I only thought of it myself a little while ago….um….when you were looking for flower girls actually…hey before I forget to tell you….Timmy and Charlie did make one request"

"Oh…God…..what's that!?"

"No frilly shirts!" Nigel said, laughing a little "I promised them they wouldn't have to wear them…so I think they're pretty happy now!"

"Oh Nigel!...I thought you were going to say something awful!" Sydney said, not realising he was trying to be funny to help get rid of his bad thoughts. After a little while, however, he managed to clear his mind and hoped, very much, that when the boys attended their wedding, he didn't start feeling like that again!

By the first week of August everything, including the page boys' outfits, was completely ready for the wedding, as was cover for both Sydney and Nigel at Trinity. Now all they had to do was fly to London and turn up at the church on the 25th August!


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

The days leading up to the 14th August, when Sydney and Nigel were due to fly to London, were hectic and passing by so fast. Sydney was busy having the final fittings for her dress and Nigel was putting the finishing touches to their honeymoon, which he hoped Sydney would like; especially as she'd had no input into that at all.

The day before their flight they both started packing their clothes realising that, very soon, they'd be man and wife and that they'd be spending the rest of their lives together!

"Now then my darling husband to be" Sydney said, as she opened her large wardrobe "I suppose I'd better take a few evening dresses….no doubt Preston will want us to dress for dinner….I don't want him disowning you for marrying shabby old me"

"You….shabby!?...I don't think so!"

"Well….I try not to be….now Nige….give me a clue what should I take for our honeymoon….is it going to be hot?" she asked, throwing her bikini playfully at him.

"Well you're certainly going to be hot!" he replied, jokingly, as he looked at her beautiful body.

"Nigel!...Now come on….give me a clue…bikinis or a snowsuit?"

"Definitely bikinis and pretty sun dresses….um…just pack for two weeks of relaxation…no teaching…no relic hunting and plenty of um…well."

Sydney's eyes widened and looked at him in happy disbelief "Um…well what!?" she said, putting her hands on her hips as she tried not to laugh at her handsome yet obviously, still very shy, fiancé.

"Well…um…it…it is our honeymoon!" Nigel said, tilting his head to the side a little and blushing.

"Oh yes…it is…isn't it….now then…..I think we both need to practice for that" she said, crawling across the bed to grab hold of him.

"Um…um….sh….shouldn't we be p…packing" Nigel said, feeling her hand on his zip! "Oh…oh um oh!"

Having made passionate love on the floor for half an hour, they eventually let go of each other and reluctantly started packing again. However, having packed her clothes in two large cases, Sydney realised she had a little problem "Nige" she said, looking at him sweetly "I need you to leave the room for a minute please."

"Uhh….why Syd? There's still a lot more packing to do" he said, looking rather curious as he zipped up a smaller suitcase.

"Oh Sweetie I just need to get my wedding dress out of the wardrobe….I don't want you to see it before the wedding….it's bad luck!...Look I only need to transfer it from the dress cover, to that box, then you can come back in" she said, pointing to a large, rather pretty box, which had a couple of straps inside to hold the dress in place and a handle on the top.

"Oh!….OK.…we don't need any bad luck….that's for sure!" he said, smiling at Sydney as he walked across to the door "Actually Syd, I think I might make a few phone calls while you do that…just want to check your dad, Jenny and Darcy are all ready for the flight tomorrow…oh…I rang the Bozens' this morning while you were still asleep….I wanted to make sure everything was still OK with them."

"It is though…isn't it?"

"Yes….yes…but they're not flying to London for a couple of days….but don't worry….they'll be there in plenty of time for the wedding."

"Oh…..OK….good idea to call dad and Darcy though" Sydney said, opening the wardrobe door as Nigel left the room.

Having been advised by everyone, that all was well and that they'd be on the flight, as planned, Nigel returned to the bedroom where he and Sydney completed the rest of the packing.

The following day a beautiful stretched limousine pulled up in front of the house, which was stocked with everything you could possibly want in the back! Nigel had hired it, realising they'd have a large amount of luggage and because he wanted to spoil Sydney as much as he possibly could!

"Have something to drink Syd…there's some fresh orange juice if you don't want champagne or wine" Nigel said, as he opened the small refrigerator "or you could have some coffee…in fact I might have some tea…there's plenty of milk in here."

"I'm fine Sweetie…you have your tea….I'm going to rest my eyes… I didn't sleep much last night….my mind was racing" Sydney said, lying back in her reclining seat.

"OK my angel….you rest" Nigel said, putting a teabag into a china cup and adding some boiling water and milk.

It was a relatively short drive to the airport as their chauffeur, Ted, knew all of the shortcuts. As soon as they arrived Ted placed the luggage on a large cart, and pushed it to the first class check in desk where he was delighted to collect a rather generous tip from Nigel.

Sydney, who was a few steps behind Nigel, was thrilled to see Randal, Jenny and Darcy were already standing by the check in desk as she approached it "dad!" she yelled, rushing into her father's open arms "oh dad…I can hardly believe this is real.

"Well Scoochie…it is" he replied, squeezing her tightly and laughing a little as he noticed Jenny and Darcy enthusiastically cuddling Nigel; who was blushing from head to toe!

Sydney laughed as she ran across to rescue him, although she could tell he actually thought it was funny too. Having then given the girls a quick hug, she and everyone else checked in. Feeling more relaxed, now that the airport formalities were complete; they followed one of the airline staff to the first class lounge to wait for their flight to be called.

"May I get you some champagne ladies…gentlemen?" the waiter asked, giving Nigel a quick look "Sir may I see your passport?"

"My passport?" Nigel said, giving the waiter an odd look, although he believed he knew why he'd asked.

"Yes Sir….I'm very sorry Sir but I'm obliged to check that you're 18 before I serve you alcohol" the waiter said, looking rather sheepish.

"He's 26!" Sydney said; feeling a little irritated that her husband to be was constantly being carded; especially since that hadn't happened to her since she was 19!

"I'm sorry madam….I could lose my job if I served alcohol to anyone underage" the waiter said, taking Nigel's passport from him and checking the date "Oh you really are 26…please accept my apologies Sir."

"Um…that's alright….I'll have some orange juice please" Nigel said, trying not to blush as he put his passport back in his pocket.

When everyone had ordered their drinks and a few snacks, they found a really comfortable sofa where they watched TV and chatted until their flight was called. Obviously, because they were flying first class, they were treated like royalty, which everyone appreciated, especially Darcy, who'd only ever flown economy or business class before.

The flight was actually good fun, as the stewards and stewardesses, being fully aware that Sydney was getting married, wanted to make a bit of a fuss of her and her fiancé. However, it wasn't until everyone was actually seated that the flight attendants were sure who the groom actually was! Naturally, when Nigel sat next to Sydney they realised it was him, although the stewards were betting it was Randal, believing Nigel was too young!

When it was established who everyone was, the stewardesses brought the couple some champagne in extra special crystal glasses, which they served with strawberries and some delicious chocolates. Of course, the other members of the wedding party joined them too, while the airline staff took photos which they would later e-mail to Sydney.

Having arrived in London, seven hours later, they were delighted to see Preston and Nathan waiting for them "Nigel!" Preston yelled, the moment they walked through the arrivals gate.

Nigel instantly ran over to them with tears in his eyes "Oh Pres….thanks for meeting us…thanks Nathan" he said, giving them both a big hug "this is Randal, Syd's dad."

"Ah very pleased to meet you Sir" Preston said, shaking hands with the older man.

"This is my wife, Jenny" Randal said, putting his arm around the beautiful young blond woman stood by his side.

"Oh um…v…very nice to um…meet you t…too" Preston said, feeling quite surprised at the age difference between the couple.

Having given Sydney a kiss on the cheek, Preston couldn't help but look at the pretty young lady stood next to her. Of course, Sydney immediately realised he was wondering who she was "Oh Preston…this is my friend Darcy…we went to school together" she said "I think I told you that she and Jenny are my bridesmaids."

"Ah yes….I remember….I'm very pleased to meet you Darcy" Preston said, trying to recall if Sydney mentioned whether or not she was single!

Once everyone had been introduced and the airport porters had placed the suitcases in the limo; including a few on the spare seat in front, they set off for the Bailey house. Randal had heard they lived in a very large and quite grand house, but he was still quite taken aback as they approached it "Jeez Nigel….are you royalty?!" Randal joked, looking at the beautiful building in front of them.

"Oh….no! I'm just an ordinary….um lucky man" Nigel replied, hoping his father-in- law wasn't thinking he must have been a bit spoiled, especially as he wanted to get a bit closer to the older man, now he was marrying his daughter.

"Just kidding son" Randal said "Scooch I hope you packed some dresses besides your white one!"

"Dad! Of course I did" Sydney said, realising her father was joking, although it was obvious he was stunned by how wealthy the Baileys' appeared to be!

Once they'd entered the house they were immediately shown up their rooms where they unpacked and showered before dinner. Of course, Sydney and Nigel had their own bedroom now which, of course, they'd be able to use any time they visited London.

Having all come down to dinner at 7 p.m. they were introduced to Mrs Jackson, who was out when they arrived earlier that afternoon. Naturally, though, she'd already been up to see Nigel and Sydney as, once she knew they were in the house, she couldn't wait to take the beautiful couple into her arms.

As they sat around the large dining table, Mrs Jackson began telling stories about what the Bailey men got up to as little boys. Naturally both Nigel and Preston cringed, but they were wonderful stories nonetheless and they helped Randal understand Nigel's personality more fully. Of course, he realised too that being kidnapped as a child, losing his parents when he was so young and being raised by his older brother, would have had a big impact on Nigel's character.

Jenny and Darcy thought the stories were delightful and they immediately loved Mrs Jackson, who they could see absolutely oozed affection for Nigel.

Over the next couple of days everyone, except Preston, spent time visiting the sites of London and doing some shopping in Oxford Street. Of course, Nigel loved showing everyone around some of the museums and art galleries too; even though they were very crowded.

Nathan, however, who'd offered to chauffeur them around every day, noticed that Darcy seemed a little left out as, obviously, the others had partners and were madly in love! Realising then that there was an easy solution to that problem, he decided to rectify matters one day when they returned home.

Having given the matter some further thought, he walked into the library, where Preston was working and sat down next him "why don't you come with us to Madame Tussauds tomorrow Preston? I'm sure whatever you're doing there can wait" Nathan said, noticing Preston seemed rather surprised by that.

"Oh…well um….I really don't think Nigel wants me around Nathan…he um told me…. just after they arrived….that he wants to bond with Randal while he's here."

"Don't be stupid Preston….I know he wants to get closer to Syd's dad….but he certainly didn't mean for you to keep out of his way so he could do it…and he's definitely not trying to replace you!...He was actually a little upset this morning when…once again…you decided not to come out with us...now look….if you're thinking that once he's married he'll no longer need you…..you're so wrong!...Not only does he love you Preston….but there are some things you simply can't discuss with your father in law!"

"I'm sorry Nathan….I'm just feeling a little bit…well…jealous I suppose….but of course….I know he loves me…..it's just that….well….maybe if I had that special someone in my life I wouldn't feel like this….please don't tell Podge" Preston said, feeling very embarrassed.

"I won't….oh but actually Preston….I may be able to help you…..you see the main reason I came in to see you was to tell you that Darcy's feeling a bit lonely….and well…..I'm not blind….I know you like her…and I'm pretty sure she likes you too….she's been asking questions about you all day!" Nathan said, shifting around on his seat.

"Questions? What sort of questions?"

"Things like…well…um…are you as sweet as Nigel…are you gentle and kind…things like that….she's no gold-digger Preston….unlike those women who came to Nigel's engagement party….or some of those other young ladies you've been seeing lately."

Oh I….I don't know….sh…she's very pretty and she seems very sweet…..but I'm not really in the mood" Preston said, wondering if Darcy really would like to date him.

"Preston…look….don't miss this opportunity….Darcy's not only a lovely young lady but she's very intelligent too….I think she's just what you need to get you out of that frame of mind!" Nathan said, noticing he'd now got Preston's full attention.

"Well…um…al…alright…I suppose it um….might be fun to be with her and….and visit the waxworks…so um…where is everyone then?" Preston asked, feeling a little awkward.

"They're all exhausted….so they've gone to rest for a while" Nathan said, as he got up and started to leave "so um about the wax museum Preston….I'll um….mention it at dinner tonight….that'll give you a chance to say you'd like to come...you'll make Nigel very happy…and Darcy too...OK?"

"OK Nathan…OK…um….thank you."

That night, as everyone sat around the dining table tucking into a delicious meal, Nathan, as promised, broached the subject of Madame Tussauds and immediately looked over at Preston.

"Um…that sounds like a nice thing to do…um…maybe I'll join you for that" Preston said, looking sheepishly at Nigel.

"Hey Pres…that's fantastic!...But we've done lots of nice things over the last couple of days…why haven't you come out before?...I don't get to see you that often" Nigel said, looking sincerely at his brother.

"I know Podge….but um…well… as I explained to Nathan….I was in the middle of a new project….I've um….finished the bulk of it now so I can concentrate on having some fun with you" Preston said to Nigel, although he was actually looking at Darcy!

The following day everyone, including Mrs Jackson, got up early, hoping to avoid the rush hour traffic and see a few sights on the way to Madame Tussauds. Nathan, of course, who knew the roads well, drove them there in the limo, ensuring everyone would be comfortable and have access to refreshments and a good view through the windows.

Feeling the need to do something to make up for his recent behaviour, Preston had purchased some rather expensive 'fast passes' off the internet, the previous night. Those passes entitled them to immediate access into the waxworks, rather than queueing outside for ages.

As soon as they got inside they were asked to pair up to have their photos taken with 'Gandhi' as this was part of the experience of being there. Naturally, Preston stood next to Darcy who was, obviously, enjoying his company.

After the photo session they began walking around the exhibits, which they found quite fascinating, as they genuinely looked alive; in fact, the Sleeping Beauty actually appeared to be breathing! Obviously, that was just a special effect, but nonetheless, it was quite convincing.

Bearing in mind just how real some of the wax figures were, Nigel decided not to go into the Chamber of Horrors; even though that was part of the wax museum. Sydney was so pleased about that, as she didn't want him having nightmares right before their wedding and she wasn't keen on going in there either! Preston was relieved too, for precisely the same reason; although being the gentleman that he was, he reluctantly went inside with Darcy, just to hold her hand!

Preston and Darcy got along really well that day, although as both of them were actually quite shy, when it came to the opposite sex, they never got past holding hands. Nathan, however, believed there was a spark between them and felt he'd done the right thing to get them together; especially as they both seemed so much happier.

The following day, after a very long flight, the Bozen family arrived at the house, much to the joy of everyone, especially Nigel. Sydney was really excited too as she'd not seen, or spoken to the twins, since they were in hospital in Rio, which now seemed a long time ago.

Mrs Jackson, wanting the children to feel at home, had purchased some toys and placed them in the old playroom; not just for the twins to play with, but for Nancy's three little nieces as well; as they'd been invited for tea that day to welcome the Bozens' to London.

Luckily the twins and triplets got along really well and played quite happily together. They shared all of the new toys and even some of the older ones, but the twins never let their teddy bear out of their sight; not even to go to the bathroom!

Two days before the wedding Sydney, Jenny and Darcy, wanting to look their very best, had some beauty treatments, at a nearby spa. They'd asked Katrina to come along too, realising that would give them a chance to get to know her better. However, she declined as she wanted to go shopping with Steven to buy an outfit for the wedding.

Nathan and Mrs Jackson, believing shopping would bore the twins, offered to take them, and the triplets, to London Zoo, where a baby giraffe had just been born. The children were so happy but, unfortunately, Katrina felt that five children would be far too much for them to handle; especially if they got over excited. Luckily though, Nancy, who'd just brought her nieces to the house, had a simple solution "I'll go along with them as well….I'd love to get to know Timmy and Charlie a little better and I think it'll be fun" she said; looking at Katrina's face and seeing her smile. Obviously, the pleading looks on the five children's faces didn't go unnoticed either, as she almost immediately gave in!

That, of course, left Nigel, Randal and Preston at home, where they very affectionately began discussing Darcy! It soon became pretty obvious to Nigel and Randal that Preston was falling in love with her, even though they'd actually only just met.

Nigel was surprised that had happened, particularly as, at one time, Preston was totally opposed to any involvement with American women! Nigel, of course, kept that thought to himself and actually found it quite amusing.

Despite finding Preston's love life a little comical, Nigel was genuinely delighted that his older brother had found love; especially as he still believed that Preston's devotion to him, in recent times, was probably at the cost of his own happiness.

Preston was definitely feeling a lot better about everything now, as he realised Nigel would always love and need him; regardless of whether or not he got closer to Randal. In fact, as soon as Randal left the room, Preston noticed that Nigel was a little on edge about something and, obviously, needed to chat with him.

"Um…come and sit down here Podge" Preston said, patting the seat next to him on the sofa "do you want some tea?"

"Um no…I'm fine Pres…um….not long now and I'll be….be a married man" Nigel said, sitting down and resting his head on his brother's shoulder.

"My goodness Podge….yes….it seems like only yesterday I was packing you off to boarding school….how time flies" Preston said, putting his arm around Nigel's shoulder. Having sat there for a few minutes enjoying some quiet time, Nigel's mind suddenly started racing and he began to fidget.

"Podge…I can tell you're fretting about something….what is it?" Preston said, remembering Nigel used to do that when he was a boy and was due to go to the doctors or dentist!

"Oh…it's um….nothing much….I'm um….just getting anxious about saying my vows…that's all."

"Good heavens Podge! You're not having second thoughts are you!?" Preston said, taking his arm from behind Nigel's back and looking quite shocked.

"Oh no….nothing like that!...It's um…well…saying them in front of so many people…..I'm sure I'll mess it up" Nigel said, wishing he felt more confident.

"Oh Podge…silly boy….I expect you're nervous about making a speech at the reception too?" Preston said, putting his arm around Nigel again.

"Well yes I am Pres….I just don't want to look stupid" Nigel said, as he sat up a bit "and….and I…I don't want to embarrass you or Syd."

"Podge you never embarrass me…you're a credit to the Bailey family…everyone understands you're shy….especially Sydney…look…you just do the best you can…and remember….I'll be right by your side….no need to fret" Preston said, noticing Nigel was trying to smile.

"Oh…darn it Pres….I just can't help remembering the mess I made of my Keynote Address" Nigel said, looking worried again.

"Now that's just nuts!….You'd been punched on the nose by a crazy woman who'd barged into your hotel room!...If it hadn't been for that…and the fact that she'd knocked your slides out of order….oh and you had tissue stuck up your nose to stop it bleeding….you'd have been brilliant" Preston said, feeling a little guilty; as it was actually him the woman was looking for when she hit Nigel! "Podge…you were always a good speaker…remember those speech competitions we entered in Bath when we were boys? You won a prize…lots of times."

"Yes I always came second…..and….and you constantly came first" Nigel said, thinking back to when their parents used to watch them compete with children from other schools.

"But Podge you're seven years younger than me….so second is the same as being first when you take that into account!" Preston said, wishing he'd told his little brother that, back then.

"Thanks Pres….I suppose that helps a bit….I um….guess we'd better start getting ready for the wedding rehearsal now…the um….girls' will be back soon" Nigel said, feeling a little better as the front door suddenly flew open and all five children ran into the living room "hey slow down guys….you don't want to fall over and hurt yourselves."

"We had a great time at the zoo Nigel!" Timmy said, as he jumped up and down with joy "Charlie and I held a real monkey!"

"That's fantastic…I hope you had some photos taken with him" Nigel said, laughing at the children who all looked so excited "did you enjoy the zoo girls?"

"Yes we did" one of the little triplets replied, smiling cutely at Nigel, who she thought looked just like Prince Charming! "Mrs Jackson actually took photos of all of us with the monkey…..but the baby giraffe was asleep...so we couldn't have any taken with him."

"Oh well never mind….at least you met a monkey….um I'd like to see the photos Nana" Nigel said, smiling widely at her.

"I'll show you them later Sweetheart….right now I need to get the children bathed and ready for the wedding rehearsal….Nancy was called away by one of her patients just as we left the zoo, so she won't be able to help with them…..and I doubt Mr and Mrs Bozen will be back for a while" Mrs Jackson said, totally enjoying every moment of being with the children.

"Well I can bathe the boys…if that helps" Nathan said, realising Mrs Jackson couldn't actually manage all five them, even though she thought she'd have to!

"Oh Nathan….thank you so much…that'll be a great help….I'll take the girls up to their bathroom now….if you can take Timmy and Charlie to theirs."

"I will….um….if I can get Millie, Julia and Sally to let go of them!" Nathan said, as he, Nigel and Preston laughed at the three little girls who were all clinging tightly to the twin's. Having separated them, all five children were taken upstairs where they thoroughly enjoyed having bubble baths. Naturally Mrs Jackson and Nathan threw in some rubber ducks, turtles and boats to keep then entertained, although they couldn't stay in the bath very long, as they had to attend the rehearsal.

About half an hour later the ladies came back from the spa, having had an amazing day. Obviously, because of where they'd been, they didn't need to shower; although they all went upstairs to change.

There was just enough room in the car for everyone, as long as the children sat on an adult's lap. Luckily Steven and Katrina, who arrived back just as everyone was getting into the car, weren't needed for the rehearsal and neither was Mrs Jackson; although she went along anyway to help watch the children and to hold Nigel's hand if he got nervous.

The rehearsal went fine, as the children did exactly as they were asked and Nigel said his vows better than he expected. That was probably due to the fact that the Vicar was so reassuring and Preston's little talk helped a bit too, although, of course, Nigel knew he was never going to be completely confident about speaking in public.

The following day Sydney and Nigel, along with Preston and Darcy, went back to the church to ensure that everything was properly prepared for the wedding. Having arrived at around 11 a.m. they made their inspection and were delighted to find that almost everything was done. Prior to leaving, however, they double checked that everyone knew what still had to be done and then strolled around to the Grand Hotel.

Immediately they arrived they requested a quick meeting with Mia, the Catering Manager at the Grand, as they wanted to ensure she was clear on what was required for the reception.

"Please step into the ballroom Miss Fox" Mia said, leading everyone through some rather grand looking doors "I think you'll be very pleased."

"Oh the table layout is just perfect Mia" Sydney said, as she walked into the centre of the beautiful ballroom and saw the large circular tables with lovely matching chairs "would you mind if I looked at the linen and silverware too? I'm sure they'll be fine…but I'd just like to check."

"Certainly….I wish more brides would take the time to do this; then if they really dislike something they'd chosen earlier….we can change...anyway…..the linen you and Preston chose is piled up next to the cutlery boxes over there…I personally thought that was the most elegant design of the three I sent you…but we have some others if you'd like to see some" Mia said, leading her across the room and showing her the serviettes and table linen.

"Oh no…that's lovely….exactly as I saw in the photos….it's really crisp too….precisely what I asked for…..thank you so much Mia" Sydney said; feeling quite excited as she realised that all of the hard work she, Preston and Mia had put into the wedding was going to be worth it "may I see the cutlery too please?"

"Of course….oh but I think you'll love it" Mia said, opening up four velvet lined boxes so that Sydney could inspect the contents "it's solid silver…..but as with the linen we have other designs if you want to change your mind….nothing is too much trouble for our brides."

"It's perfect Mia…just perfect…..um…have the centre pieces for the tables arrived yet?"

"Oh yes they have…..they're in those boxes…let me get a couple out for you to see….they're actually so nice we'll be recommending Mr Bailey's internet site to other clients" Mia said, feeling very pleased that Sydney was so happy, as she opened up a box.

"Oh they're beautiful Preston….in fact I think they look even nicer than in the photos you sent me."

"I'm so pleased you're happy with them Sydney" Preston said, as he picked up one of the table decorations "I'm actually truly delighted with the quality myself….my new internet wedding site has some truly amazing products."

"I don't think we have anything to worry about here at all" Sydney said, kissing Preston on the cheek and then leaping into Nigel's arms "I hope you like everything too Nige….you've been very quiet."

"I do…I do…oh…not supposed to say that until tomorrow" Nigel joked "it's all wonderful Syd really wonderful…thank you Mia you've done an amazing job."

"You're very welcome….oh…just a thought…..would you like to meet the chef?….He'll be happy to let you taste some of the food for your reception" Mia said, as they walked out into the corridor.

"Oh no, that's fine…Preston's used him for private functions several times; I have complete faith that he'll do a wonderful job….so we'll see you tomorrow then…bye" Sydney said, noticing Mia, Preston and, indeed, Nigel looked really happy and Darcy looked very impressed!

That night Sydney shared a room with Darcy, as she believed it was bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other the night before their wedding. However, prior to going to sleep, she couldn't resist running back upstairs to have one last cuddle with Nigel before she returned to her friend's room!

Sydney slept very well that night, regardless of how excited she was, but Nigel didn't; not because he was having nightmares, but because he missed having Sydney by his side.

Having tossed and turned until about two in the morning, Nigel was surprised to hear a sudden, yet rather feeble knock at the door. Believing, for a second, that it had to be Sydney, he excitedly leapt out of bed and rushed to the door. However, it then quickly dawned on him that it probably wasn't her, as she wouldn't have knocked and even if she did, it would have been a much louder!

"Um…who is it?" he called through the door.

"Teddy wants to see his brother Nigel….can we come in please?" Charlie said, as he stood next to Timmy who was holding very tightly to their teddy bear.

"Oh it's you!…Um…does your mummy know you're out of bed?" Nigel asked, just as Katrina rushed into the corridor.

"I'm so sorry Nigel…let me take them back to bed" she said, taking the two little boys by the hand.

"Mummy….teddy's sad….he wants to sleep with his brother and Nigel tonight" Timmy said; giving his mother a pleading look.

"Katrina…they can stay here tonight…..if that's alright with you…I'm having trouble sleeping anyway" Nigel said, hoping the beautiful Brazilian woman wouldn't mind.

"Are you sure Nigel? Won't Sydney be upset?" Katrina asked, as she tried to look inside the room.

Nigel explained where Sydney was, which immediately eased Katrina's concerns. She realised too that the twins would be very upset if she put them back to bed when Nigel was, obviously, happy to have them there.

"Right then you two….if I let you stay you have to promise you'll be good" she said, hoping she was doing the right thing, as the boys' could be quite a handful at times.

"We promise mummy" they both shouted "where's teddy Nigel?" Charlie asked, as he and Timmy ran into the room and noticed he wasn't on the bed.

"Oh….he….he's in the drawer…he um….sleeps better in there" Nigel said, hoping the twins wouldn't be upset by that and feeling relieved that he'd thought to bring the bear in the first place! "I'll um….wake him up to see his brother."

As soon as he took the bear out of the drawer, he handed it to Charlie, who put the two bears together in the centre of the bed "we can sleep this side Nigel and you can sleep the other….is that alright?" Charlie said, hoping Nigel would agree.

"Oh definitely" he said, lifting the twins one by one into bed. Once they were comfortable he got into bed himself and within ten minutes the boys were asleep. Luckily, not long after that, Nigel drifted off too, giving him at least some rest before he had to say his vows!

 **The Wedding is in the next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14**

On the day of the wedding Mrs Jackson brought Sydney and Darcy breakfast in bed, whilst everyone else ate in the dining room in their night clothes. Regardless of how excited she was, Darcy slept really well, as she was so happy being with her best friend, especially on such an important occasion. Sydney, however, had a terrible nightmare about Nigel being kidnapped again, which woke her and made her feel anxious. Naturally, that kind of thing happened now and again, as she and Nigel had been through so much; nevertheless, it was mostly him that had nightmares, not her! What worried her though was that after her previous nightmares about Nigel, something unpleasant had always happened to him! Luckily, after about an hour, she managed to convince herself that it was just a coincidence, and went back to sleep.

The twins had loved sleeping in Nigel's bed because they had both 'magical' teddy- bears with them, as well as the wonderful man who'd helped rescue them from Ferreira's mansion. As soon as they awoke, they cuddled up to Nigel and made him promise to bring his bear to breakfast with him; so the 'brothers' could 'eat' together. Obviously, realising how important those bears were to the twins, Nigel agreed, although he was very pleased that Preston played along too, rather than ridiculing him; like he would have done a few years ago.

Once breakfast was over, and everyone had gone upstairs to shower and dress, three beauticians arrived with all manner of beauty products to pamper the girls' with. They were immediately shown up to Darcy's room where it took about two hours for them to complete the hair, makeup and nails of all the ladies. It was totally worth it though, as they looked so lovely; particularly Sydney, who was delighted with what they'd done.

Having previously hung the bridesmaids' and flower girls' dresses on the outside doors of the wardrobe, the beauticians then helped the little girls' dress, whilst Jenny and Darcy dressed themselves and zipped each other up. It was pretty obvious, however, that it would be difficult for Sydney to dress herself, bearing in mind there were several hidden zips and buttons in her gown. They, therefore, left her until last and then made sure they took their time to get the gown fitting just perfectly. Amazingly, even though everyone had seen Sydney's dress before, none of them, including Sydney herself, was quite prepared for how totally breath taking the overall effect was!

Naturally, Nigel, Preston and Randal dressed themselves and then double checked each other to ensure they all looked just right. Nigel looked so handsome, although when he came downstairs Mrs Jackson still felt the need to brush his hair away from his face and redo his tie; not because he wasn't already perfect, but because she just loved fussing over him.

Katrina, obviously, dressed the twins, who looked just adorable in their little suits, with turquoise accessories and the shiniest of shoes.

When the men were completely ready, Nathan drove Preston and Nigel to the church in the limousine, which was the simplest way of ensuring that Nigel was out of the way when Sydney came downstairs. Fifteen minutes later she, and her father, did just that and then immediately stepped into a beautiful white Rolls Royce; which had pretty silk ribbons on the front and lots of room inside. The bridesmaids, flower girls, pageboys, Nancy and Mrs Jackson, however, were driven to the church in an extra-large stretched limousine. Preston had thoughtfully hired both of these cars, wanting to ensure that Sydney had plenty of room to spread out her dress and that nobody else was crushed up.

Preston also provided Stephen and Katrina with a car and driver, as they'd come a long way to be at the wedding. He wanted to ensure too that they had a stress free journey getting to the church; especially as their sons were travelling separately.

It took about half an hour for the Rolls Royce and hired limo to get to the church, during which time Sydney began to think she must be luckiest woman in the world. In fact she felt so happy, she totally forgot her nightmare. Of course, she'd every reason be optimistic, as the sun was shining, Trafalgar Square looked amazing and she was marrying the most intelligent, kind, and staggeringly handsome man she'd ever known!

As soon as they arrived at the church, Randal helped Sydney out of the car and led her into lobby, where they were immediately joined by the bridesmaids and pageboys. Jenny and Darcy organised the children, ensuring they knew exactly what to do when the music started.

Not being members of the official wedding party, Nancy and Mrs Jackson went inside the church where the ushers immediately showed them to their seats, which were right next to Nathan, at the front.

By that time, of course, Nigel was already sat in the front pew, where Preston was doing his very best to keep him calm "you're going to do fine Podge….it's just a case of listening to what the vicar says and repeating it…it was so kind of him to suggest he reads your vows first….rather than you and Sydney try to remember the whole speech….oh come on Podge….breathe…you can do it!" Preston said; as he rubbed Nigel's back and smiled reassuringly.

"Oh…um O…K…you're right Pres...th….thanks" Nigel said, as gave his brother a hug.

Having waited a couple more minutes, Preston was relieved to hear the organist start to play the Wedding March, which sounded just amazing. Upon hearing those well-known cords, the entire congregation stood up and Preston gently led Nigel to the altar where they both stood in front of it; half facing the central aisle.

Nigel's heart almost leapt into his mouth when he saw his gorgeous Sydney grinning from ear to ear, as she held onto her father's arm and walked towards him. Preston patted Nigel gently on the back, forcing him to breathe, as he realised his little brother's breath had been completely taken away by her beauty.

She was wearing the most exquisite dress, which was pure white, strapless, full length and figure hugging. It had very delicate lace over the top, with tiny diamanté diamonds sewn into it. The stones were mostly white, although a few turquoise beads had been added to give a stunning effect. The back was unusual as it tapered out just below her hips, which centrally flowed into a beautiful train; giving a spectacular shape to her entire gown!

She carried a lovely bouquet of white roses and turquoise orchids, which were tied together with a white silk ribbon. That enabled the orchids to trail down the front of her dress; which looked quite exquisite.

She wore her hair down, which she and Nigel both preferred, as it gave her a softer look. To make it look really special, however, she'd added a small, real diamond tiara, which allowed her hair to flow down her back in beautiful soft waves.

Her shoes were white satin, with white and turquoise diamanté diamonds across the top. However, not wanting to tower over Nigel, she chose a low heel and for added comfort, she had a padded insole, which made her feel like she was walking on air.

As she got closer to the groom, her heart began to flutter as she noticed how gorgeous he looked. His hair had been cut shorter than normal, which made him appear totally boyish and adorable; something the gentler side of Sydney had begun to appreciate.

By the time Sydney and her father reached the altar, not only was she blinking back the tears, but Nigel and Preston were too! However, the vicar, being an especially kind man, had tissues at the ready; although Preston had some in his pocket too, realising Nigel was likely to need them.

Recalling, from the rehearsal, the first thing she had to do, Sydney handed her bouquet to Darcy, which then freed her hands for more important things!

As soon as the couple were more composed, everyone sang a few well-chosen hymns and then the ceremony began "we are gathered here today to witness the joining in holy matrimony of Nigel Bailey and Sydney Fox….if anyone here present knows of any lawful impediment as to why this marriage should not take place, they should declare it now" the vicar said, looking around the church very quickly and listening for a few of seconds. Naturally, there were a few whispers, but nothing that would prevent the marriage from going ahead. Therefore, the vicar continued "who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

"I do" Randal said, taking Sydney's hand and placing it on the back of vicar's; who then took hold of it and placed it on Nigel's.

The vicar smiled at Randal and then looked directly at Nigel "Please repeat after me….I call upon these persons here present."

Nigel said that quite slowly and then waited for the vicar to say "to witness that I…Nigel Bailey….do take you…Sydney Fox….to be my lawful wedded wife…..I promise to respect you as an individual….support you through difficult times….rejoice with you through happy times….be loyal to you always and above all….love you as my wife and friend for as long as we both shall live" which he also repeated perfectly.

Then it was Sydney's turn to say the same vows; which had actually been partially written by both of them. Of course, being the confident woman that she was, she didn't miss a beat and smiled at Nigel lovingly as she spoke the words.

Having completed that part of the ceremony the vicar then looked at Preston "do you have the rings?"

Preston immediately took them out of his pocket, where he'd kept them since the suit was made, and placed them on the Bible, as indicated. Having blessed them with the sign of the cross, the vicar looked at Nigel and smiled "please look at Sydney and say after me "I give you this ring as a token of my love and friendship and as a symbol of all that we share." Nigel repeated that and was then given Sydney's ring to hold. Having then gone through the same thing with Sydney, the vicar looked more serious and began to speak again.

"Do you Nigel Bailey take Sydney Fox to be your wife, to love and cherish from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health today, tomorrow and always?"

"I do" Nigel said, filling up with emotion.

Having said the same to Sydney, she blinked back her tears of joy and replied "I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife….Nigel….you may now kiss the bride" the vicar said, taking a step backwords to give them more room.

Barely taking a second to prepare himself, Nigel threw his arms around Sydney and kissed her passionately; forgetting, for a few seconds, that so many people were watching! Sydney kissed him back just as strongly, as she listened to the congregation oohing and awwing; although, annoyingly, there were a couple of disapproving remarks!

Once the ceremony was over, the bride and groom, along with Randal and Preston were taken into a private room at the back of the church, where the legalities of the wedding had to be completed "you did very well young man…you too young lady" the vicar said, handing Nigel a very beautiful pen which they all used to sign the register "right…that's it….all done….and may I say what a beautiful couple you are….now it's time for you to walk back down the aisle as husband and wife."

Sydney and Nigel felt so elated, as did Randal and Preston who checked the stunning couple's faces for any stray tears, or smudges; as that was the last chance they'd have to do that before the official and unofficial photos were taken. Preston dutifully straightened Nigel's tie and told his little brother to comb his hair; whist Randal gave Sydney's dress the once over to ensure it was still perfect.

Having connected with the bridesmaids and pageboys again, they walked down the aisle, blinking back yet more joyful tears, as dozens of flashes from various cameras hit their eyes. Once they reached the door, however, they were met by yet more flashes, as their official photographer, Paul Lichfield, who'd previously photographed the Royal Family, took a few shots as they exited the church.

Wanting to ensure that Sydney and Nigel got the best photographs possible, Paul handed them some tissues to wipe their eyes and then had them pose in several places outside and in the church grounds. Trafalgar Square too, although it was crowded by then, made an amazing backdrop for some of his more unusual and stunning shots, some of which he showed the happy couple on his digital camera.

He also took numerous photos of the guests, most with the bride and groom, but some in family groups, or on their own. Having completed those, Paul asked the newlyweds to get into the Rolls and meet him outside The Grand, where he took several shots in and around the car and also by the ballroom entrance where they'd soon be greeting their guests.

As expected, the guests started arriving about ten minutes later; having been led there, on foot, by the ushers. Preston, Nathan and Randal, of course, walked there with Mrs Jackson, whilst the two bridesmaids, three flower girls and two page boys were driven in the limo, ensuring the children didn't wander off.

Each guest was then invited to speak to the bride and groom as they entered the ballroom; which ensured Sydney and Nigel didn't miss anyone. Understandably, however, once each person had said a few words, they were moved forward by the ushers to enable the next person in line to do the same.

Nigel didn't actually recognise some of the guests, mainly because they were friends of his parents who Preston had kept in touch with; and felt obliged to invite. One or two of them, that he did know, however, were rather rude as, every now and again one of them would whisper something in Nigel's ear. This upset him a couple of times, although he tried to hide it, believing it would spoil Sydney's day if he told her what they'd said!

Naturally some of the guests were people who Sydney and Nigel wanted to see, such as Aunty Alice and Professor and Mrs Bally; who were Nigel's guardian's while he was at Oxford University.

The family lawyer, Mr Middleton, came with his wife and although the newlyweds were aware that he still didn't totally approve of the marriage, he was very pleasant to both of them and kept his feelings to himself.

Sydney was delighted to greet some of her old school friends, along with several relic hunting associates; all of whom had flown in from various parts of the world to wish her well and to meet Nigel, who they'd heard so much about for the past few months.

Once everyone had gathered in the large and exquisitely decorated ballroom, they were given champagne and canapes before being invited to sit down at their allocated tables.

Naturally, Sydney, Nigel, Randal, Jenny, Preston, Darcy, Mrs Jackson, Nathan and Alice sat at the top table, where they could be seen by everyone, as their table was on an 18 inch high raised platform, at the end of the ballroom.

Just to one side of that table, was another one, which had been specifically set up for the children with five booster seats. Also sitting there, to keep an eye on the children, was Steven, Katrina and Nancy; who were delighted with the way the twins and triplets were behaving that day.

It had been difficult to think of another couple who'd be appropriate to sit at that table, bearing in mind how young the children were. However, Nigel remembered, just in time, that Professor and Mrs Bally had specifically asked not to be sat with any stuffy people. With that in mind, and recalling from personal experience that the elderly couple loved children, he believed they were the perfect choice. Obviously he had to explain that to Sydney and Preston, who were in charge of the seating arrangements; but they immediately agreed.

There were twenty other tables spread around the ballroom, all of which were beautifully set out and had some very wealthy and some not so well off guests sitting at them.

The food was amazing and everyone seemed to enjoy it; even the vegetarians, who had special food prepared for them.

When everyone had finished eating and the coffee had been served, it was time for the speeches to be made. Naturally, Randal was the first to speak, being the bride's father, although Sydney was a little bit anxious about what he'd say!

However, she needn't have worried as, after thanking everyone for coming, he went on to say what a wonderful and amazing daughter she was and that he was very proud of her becoming a professor of ancient history and a relic hunter. That actually caused quite a stir amongst some of the rather stuffy and old fashioned guests, who made it quite clear, by their disapproving looks, that they felt a wife's place was in the home! Randal, however, ignored the looks and whispers and proudly continued "Sydney and Nigel are soul mates who allow each other to be themselves….Nigel's a wonderful young man who's truly the son I never had….I know he'd do anything for my daughter….and she'd certainly do anything for him….oh yeah…..I think they're going to give Jenny and I the most beautiful grandkids ever!"

"Dad!" Sydney said, faking embarrassment as, in reality, she loved what he'd just said.

"Ha ha…..now would you all please raise your glasses and wish the happy couple a long and successful life" Randal said, smiling widely as he held up his champagne glass and watched most of the guests happily toast the bride and groom.

Once everyone had settled down again, Nigel was given a nudge by Sydney "it's your turn now Sweetie…knock 'em dead!" she said, taking a sip of red wine.

Nigel was, obviously, still rather nervous, but having had a couple of glasses of champagne and a quick pat on the back from Preston, he stood up and took a deep breath "first of all I…I want to thank everyone for coming and for making this such a special day….I also want to thank my father in law, Randal Fox, for producing such a perfect daughter and for allowing me to marry her" he said, looking at Randal, who looked so proud.

"You're very welcome Nigel" Randal said, realising his son in law was being totally sincere.

Of course, the person he wanted to show his appreciation to the most, apart from Sydney, was sitting right next to him, looking very happy "Preston, I want to thank you for all the help and support you've given me since our parents passed away….b….but, I um….particularly want to thank you for….um….sending me to Oxford…you know Pres, without those degrees I'd never have been given the job at Trinity where I met my beautiful Syd" Nigel said, looking sincerely at his brother.

"Podge you're a genius….what more can I say!" Preston said, noticing Nigel gave him a fake horrified look as he'd publicly used his, once hated, childhood nickname.

"Look Pres….I'm serious now….I…I also want to thank you for looking after me so well in the last year or so…I know you gave up a lot to do that...so I need you to know I really appreciate it…..in fact….quite honestly….I don't think I'd have gotten through it without you…..oh….nor of course without my wonderful Syd" Nigel said, looking at his older brother fondly and then at his beautiful bride.

Preston didn't say a word as he felt so emotional, although obviously, most of the guests were well aware of what had happened to Nigel, as it had been in all of the newspaper, and on the news. Therefore, some of them looked a little teary eyed too, especially Professor and Mrs Bally, who loved Nigel like a son.

Having finished the most important part of his speech, Nigel felt the need to lighten the mood as there were a few sad faces around the room. He therefore, looked at his wife and winked "ready Syd?"

"Yes Sweetie….go ahead" Sydney replied, as she stood up and went to the front of the raised platform.

"Um….now Syd and I would like to thank the bridesmaids, flower girls, pageboys and ushers for all of their hard work today…so when Sydney calls your name, please come up here to collect your gifts…um…thank you once again."

Once Sydney had given the gifts to everyone, Nigel handed Mrs Jackson, Alice, Nancy and Mrs Bally a huge bouquet of flowers each, as he wanted to thank them for being at the wedding and for all the love, support and guidance they'd given him over the years.

Having presented the last bouquet, Nigel noticed that most of the guests were now smiling, which was exactly what he wanted "Um…right then" he said, as he sat down next to Sydney "I'd um….better turn you over to my brother now….he'll….no doubt…have some embarrassing stories to tell you about me!"

"Thank you Podge" Preston said, giving Nigel an evil look "now what can I say about my little brother…um….well to be quite honest um….he's the nicest, kindest and truly the most brilliant young man I have ever known."

Nigel was stunned, as even though he knew Preston wouldn't say anything bad about him anymore, he didn't expect that.

Once Preston had finished his speech, which did actually include a few comical stories about Nigel; he looked over at the stage, where a great looking band were waiting to perform "would you please play the song we chose for the bride and groom's first dance?"

"We're ready Sir….we just need the lovely couple get on the dance floor" the handsome lead singer of the band said, as they looked across at Sydney and Nigel.

"Podge…Sydney….are you ready?" Preston said very quietly, having noticed Nigel looked a little hesitant.

"I'm ready Preston" Sydney said "Nige come on."

"Oh gosh….do I have to?"

"Yes you do…..come on Sweetie…nobody will care if you're not as good as Fred Astaire!...Just hold on to me and sway a bit."

"I'll do my best Syd" he said as they walked onto the dance floor.

Preston gave the band a nod and Nigel took his beautiful bride into his arms "I'll try not to stand on your foot Syd" he said, as he held her tightly and followed her lead. It wasn't long, however, until a few of the guests joined in, realising the young couple, or at least Nigel, would feel less self-conscious if they danced too. Having had about three dances, however, the bride and groom had to sit down as Sydney's dress was being trampled on and Nigel was getting tired.

"Sweetie you did really well" Sydney said, feeling quite elated as she hugged Nigel and looked around the room.

"Thanks Syd" Nigel replied, feeling slightly out of breath.

"Nige….why does that man over there keep staring at us like that? He looks so miserable….or even annoyed" Sydney said, looking across the room to where a large man, with a bald head and short grey beard was sitting.

"Oh um….I….I'm not sure Syd" he said, although in truth he had a rough idea "I…I'm just popping to the loo…won't be long."

It wasn't far to the gentlemen's loo, although Nigel decided to use the one upstairs, as the one closest to the ballroom was busy. However, as he climbed the stairs and walked down the long corridor, on the first floor, he became aware that someone was behind him. Of course, at first he thought nothing of it, as it was a busy hotel, especially today, as there was a doctor's conference, as well as his wedding being held there. Nevertheless, having looked behind him again, a few seconds later, he became quite concerned, as he realised then that the man behind him was one of the guests who'd so rudely whispered something in his ear earlier. Worryingly too, he also happened to be the man that Sydney had just pointed out to him! Remembering, with concern, what this particular man had said, he quickened his pace a little and even considered running!

"Nigel!" the man called out, having somehow found a shortcut to the bathroom "I want to talk you!"

"Oh…um….hello Mr Wykes….look…..I…I'm really sorry about your greenhouse Sir….I didn't mean to kick my ball through the glass….but…but….you have to remember….that was years ago and I'm sure Preston paid for it."

"Yes he did young man…but you didn't!" Mr Wykes said, as he pressed Nigel against the bathroom door and looked very angry.

"Preston punished me…and and….paid for the repairs….so that should be the end of it Sir" Nigel said, trying to recall, in a little more detail, the incident that happened 11 years ago!

"Well if I'd have been permitted to give you a bloody good hiding back then, it would have been…but your brother refused…now he's not here to protect you!" the older man said, as he pushed his face close up to Nigel's.

"Sir….th…this is silly…it was years ago….I was fifteen….it was an accident! I don't deserve another hiding!" Nigel said, hoping Mr Wykes wouldn't actually carry out his threat!

"Get in the bathroom!" the older man said, twisting Nigel's arm up and around his back and leading him into the gentlemen's toilet "rich people like you think they can continually treat people like dirt!"

"What!...I…I don't behave like that Sir…I…I'm very respectful of other people's feelings" Nigel said, struggling to try and get away and wishing he could remember some of the moves Derek had taught him.

"No you're not!...You don't care about anyone but yourself…you asked my daughter to marry you….and then immediately left for America!….She was devastated….she couldn't even bear to see your house anymore….so she left home" Mr Wykes said, pushing Nigel into the wall.

"Sir…I…I'm sorry about um…um….Millie….but….I…I've hardly seen her at all since I was five!" Nigel said, feeling very confused "I um….remember we were um….playing weddings….Millie had some netting material she put over her head like a veil….but….but I can't believe she thought I was really going to marry her one day! That's crazy! We never even kept in touch."

"You're a liar!...You were dating her while you were at university!...I've not seen her for almost five years now and it's all your fault!" Mr Wykes said, as he yanked Nigel's arm around his back again and pressed his face against the wall. By now, Nigel was beginning to think that either Mr Wykes needed psychiatric help, or Millie was a very convincing liar; either way he was frightened, as the older man was large and very strong!

"Let me go Sir….please! You're hurting my arm" Nigel said, wriggling to try and free himself "ouch…please let go Sir….please!"


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15**

"No I won't let you go Nigel.…you need to understand you can't just keep damaging people's property and ruining their lives without suffering the consequences….I intend to give you the thrashing you deserve!" Mr Wykes yelled, holding Nigel's arm around his back and bending him over a sink.

"Let him go right now!" a man's voice suddenly called out from inside one of the cubicles!

"What….who…who's that!?" Mr Wykes call out, as he'd previously believed the men's room was unoccupied.

The door suddenly flew open "I'm your worst enemy….so you'd better let him go right this second!" a very angry Derek Lloyd shouted.

"Oh my God….Derek!...I didn't think you could come!" Nigel shrieked, as he managed to pull himself away from the irate man.

"I didn't either" Derek said, as he grabbed hold of Mr Wykes around his neck "but there was a big breakthrough in the case we were working on….so Cate let me take the next flight to London…..she says hi by the way…..I'm sorry I actually missed the wedding Kiddo…..but on the other hand it seems like good timing on my part to have arrived when I did!...Do you want to press charges against this guy?"

"No Derek….he's an old friend of the family….so I'd rather just let him go" Nigel said, realising by the confused look on Mr Wykes' face, he'd genuinely believed what his daughter had said. "Look Sir…I really don't know why Millie told you we were dating…or that I'd asked her to marry me…..because it's not true…..in fact I doubt if I'd even recognise her now….it's been twenty odd years since we played together."

"Preston denied it too Nigel….but Millie was absolutely adamant that you and she were in love….she even told me that she visited you at Oxford University….and that she stayed there with you many times."

"She didn't Sir…I'm sorry."

"But you must have been together!.…I actually saw her walk through your front gates several times!" Mr Wykes said, shaking his head from side to side as he tried to think why his daughter would have done that if she wasn't meeting him.

"Sir there's a side gate that you can't see from your house….she probably just walked straight through the front gate and out of the side one….I promise you….I never met her after I started prep school….when I was five….I passed her in the street a few times…yes….and I said hello…..but that's all…look...I'm really sorry that Millie left you on your own…but truly….I had nothing to do with it….now….I really must use the loo!" Nigel said, rushing into a cubicle, while Derek took it upon himself to escort the older man out of the building.

Having returned to the bathroom, about five minutes later, Derek noticed Nigel was looking a little pale and shaky; although, as always, he denied he was feeling unwell.

"I think you need a stiff drink buddy" Derek said, putting his arm around Nigel's back.

"Maybe I'll have one in a minute….but um….thanks again for helping me…I don't know what I'd have done without you!...I did um….try to remember the self-defence moves you taught me…but I just couldn't."

"Kiddo….you're just not a fighter...but hey….even if you were….that guy seemed amazingly strong for someone of his age" Derek said, realising Nigel was slightly embarrassed.

"He was a bit….but you're right...I do hate fighting…..I suppose Mr Wykes simply couldn't hold back his anger when he came face to face with me….the man who supposedly ruined his and his daughter's life!…But it's just totally bizarre what she told him" Nigel said, feeling quite confused as they started to make their way to the ballroom.

"Yeah it certainly is Kiddo!"

Having entered the ballroom they immediately walked over to the head table, where Nigel crept back to his seat hoping nobody would notice his crumpled suit.

Derek, of course, having not seen Sydney until that very moment, stood in front of her for a second with his mouth agape!

"Jeez Sydney...you look stunning!" he said, stretching his arms out to give her a hug and thinking how lucky Nigel was!

"Oh my goodness….Derek!...How lovely to see you!" she replied, as she looked round for Nigel.

"Sweetie look….Derek's here….hey why are you looking so pale?" Sydney said, as she turned around and noticed that Nigel had lost that lovely glow he'd had on his face earlier.

Not wanting to spoil the wonderful day, however, Nigel decided not to tell her what happened; although before he could even put on a fake smile, Derek jumped in and told her instead!

"Oh God Sweetie….that's just dreadful."

"It was Syd….it was….but I'm fine now….and…and….what Millie said is a total fabrication…I swear!"

"Hey….I know it's not true Nige….don't worry about that….but I wonder what possessed his daughter to tell him those things….anyway…I think you'd better tell Preston.…he's the one who invited him to the wedding" Sydney said, wondering why the angry man had been asked to come in the first place.

However, just at that moment Preston came rushing over as he'd noticed the late arrival "Derek…how nice to see you…this is a surprise" he said, with a huge smile on his face, as he shook the agent's hand.

After a quick explanation about how he'd manged to get away from work, Derek persuaded Nigel to tell his brother what happened; although really didn't want to.

"Oh my goodness Podge…..are you alright? I'm so sorry….I'm afraid I felt obliged to invite him…you see I'd asked the Phillips' and Bakers' who live either side of him….but you'll probably recall mother and father were friends with all three families…so um…what else could I do…um really" Preston said, giving Nigel a quick look over to see if he had any bruises.

"Yes I remember that Pres…b…but why didn't you tell me that Mr Wykes had made those false allegations…it was a bit of a shock?" Nigel said, hoping his brother had a good explanation.

"Actually Podge….it happened just after you'd gone to America…and um….well…if you remember….you and I weren't exactly on speaking terms….he was pretty angry…but I told him none of it was true…..and that you were friends with Amanda….I actually thought he'd forgotten all about it as he's not mentioned it since….and you'll recall he didn't try to confront you with it when you came home from Brazil….darn it!...I wish I hadn't invited him!….I'm so sorry I spoilt your special day Podge….Sydney."

"Oh…um….don't worry about it Pres…I'm OK" Nigel said, accepting a hug from his brother and then moving closer to Sydney.

"Are you sure Sweetie…you just look so pale?" she said, feeling quite concerned "you know we only need to cut the cake….then….if you like…we can make a run for it soon after that."

"I'm fine…really…I am….he wasn't going to kill me…he was just going to…um…..whack my….my…b…behind!" Nigel said, recalling that's more or less what he'd threatened to do.

"Well I'm glad he didn't hurt you Podge….but I still think you should do as Sydney suggested….look I'll announce that you're going to cut the cake….then once the kitchen staff have sliced it up….you can have a couple of bites and go home…..don't worry….it'll be OK…the guests don't really expect you to stay much longer anyway!" Preston said, walking back to the table to make the announcement.

Once that was done everyone gathered around the amazing three tier cake, which had turquoise roses and tiny white hearts around the sides and a cute bride and groom on top. Still feeling rather shaky, Nigel stood behind Sydney with his arms reaching around her waist, as that position enabled them to both hold the ornate knife and cut the cake together.

As soon as that was done and the guests had toasted the newlyweds, the cake was placed on a trolley by a rather cute little waitress, who then started pushing it towards the kitchen.

"I'm starving Syd…do you think there's any food left?" Derek asked, as he got up and started to follow the waitress.

"Oh I expect there'll be something in the kitchen for you Derek" Sydney said, as she laughed and watched him eyeing up the waitress!

Fifteen minutes later the cake was brought back to the ballroom, having been carefully sliced up and placed on large silver plates. Naturally the first two slices were given to the bride and groom and then the waiters ensured everyone else had some, along with yet more champagne.

Having returned from the kitchen with a tray full of food, Derek could hardly wait to get his teeth into the cold chicken and salad that the attractive waitress had given him; along with an extra-large slice of cake and a card with her telephone number on it!

However, realising that the happy couple would be leaving soon; Derek placed his tray on their table and began to tuck in "this is good food guys….and this place looks amazing!...Um look Sydney….Nigel….I really want to wish you two the best of luck for the future.….you really deserve to be happy" Derek said, feeling uncharacteristically emotional as he hugged them both.

"Thanks Derek…and don't forget…..you're welcome to visit us any time."

After a further few minutes of chatting with Derek, the newlyweds finished their cake, waved goodbye to everyone and got into the Rolls Royce. Having then ensured that the privacy window between the front and back seat was closed, Nigel looked lovingly into his beautiful wife's eyes "Oh Syd" he said, pulling her close to him "that was an incredible day….and you look so beautiful….shame about the little blip….but I think it's over and done with now."

"Gosh yes….it really was fantastic….but look….as long as you're alright…the blip doesn't matter" Sydney replied, snuggling up to him.

"No it really doesn't...all that matters today is you and me…..I love you Mrs Bailey."

"Love you too Mr Bailey."

When they reached the house, Nigel picked Sydney up and carried her over the threshold, which he found rather difficult; although he was determined to do it!

"Sweetie you didn't hurt your back did you?" Sydney asked, noticing Nigel looked a little pained.

"No not really….sorry I only managed to get five steps through the door though" he said, laughing at himself "um…..let's go to bed!"

"Nigel! Have you no control?" she said, laughing rather loudly as she began to run "Ha! Last one in the bed's a rotten tomato!"

"That'll be you then Syd!" Nigel said, running as fast as he could towards the stairs.

That evening the newlyweds did what comes natural to a bride and groom and the following morning, still feeling very excited, they began to pack for their honeymoon.

"So are you going to tell me where we're going Sweetie…you've hardly said a word about it!" Sydney said, pretending to be upset.

"Ok I'll tell you….you'll guess anyway once we get to the airport….so um….how does a week in the Maldives….and then a week in India sound?" Nigel asked, looking at his beautiful wife and hoping she'd smile.

"That sounds wonderful!…I love it! I've heard that the Maldives are stunningly beautiful islands….and that they're very peaceful too….so it'll be really relaxing…we'll get plenty of sleep….although I might wake up long enough to have a cuddle or two with you!" she said, looking directly into Nigel's eyes "by the way Sweetie….sorry if I'm being a little paranoid but well….you never told me what those other guests whispered in your ear yesterday…you know….when we were greeting them at the ballroom door."

"Oh…it….it was nothing….don't worry about it" he replied, turning his back to her and pretending to look for something.

"Nige….it must have been something because you were upset…well for a couple of seconds anyway" Sydney said, walking around so that she could see his face "Sweetie….please tell me what they said."

"Um….well….you already know what Mr Wykes said."

"Yes but what about the others?"

"Oh it was nothing much" he said, turning away again.

"Nigel!"

"Oh….damn it….they just said I was too young to get married…that's all."

"You mean they thought I was too old for you!" Sydney said; looking slightly upset.

"Well….alright…but you're not!"

"Anything else you want to tell me?

"No…no…nothing."

"Nige…I can tell you're hiding something."

"I wish you would leave it Syd."

"They don't like me because I'm American….that's it…isn't it?"

"Well…alright…it is.

"And!?...Come on Nige tell me."

"Oh Syd….look….a couple of mum's friends said they think you should give up work to look after me….I'm sorry….they're just old fashioned snobs….everyone else just loved you!" Nigel said, taking her into his arms "please try to forget about it….we need to finish packing….our flights at seven tonight and I want to spend a little time with Preston before we leave….I'm sure you're just as intrigued as I am to know how he and Darcy are getting along."

"I am….but I already know that Darcy thinks he's wonderful….she's even staying in London while we're on our honeymoon so that she can see more of him….dad and Jenny are still flying home tomorrow though...they have to as they're moving house in two days...it'll be great having them living so close by" Sydney said, still feeling slightly niggled by what those people had said.

"I'm glad they're moving closer to us Syd….but I wish Preston would buy somewhere close to us too….I'll miss him.

"I know Sweetie….but you never know…he might if he and Darcy end up together!"

"Hey….I wonder if he'll um….you know….sleep with Darcy here…..um… bearing in mind how strict he was…at first….about me having you in my bedroom!"

"Knowing Preston he'll take her to a hotel…at first…but then after a little while he'll realise how silly he's being" Sydney said, remembering how quickly Preston gave in to things if it meant life would be easier.

"I like Darcy a lot Syd….and I want Preston to be as happy as we are" Nigel said, as he put a couple of shirts into his case "I won't give him a hard time no matter what…the fact of the matter is he was just protecting me when he made me follow mum's rules….but he's never been as naive about women as I was."

"Oh Sweetie…nobody was as naive as you were….but you're still just as cute and adorable as you always were…that's not changed!" Sydney said, as she watched Nigel blush.

"Get on with the packing woman!" he replied, pretending to be annoyed.

Later that morning they had that chat with Preston, who revealed very little about his relationship with Darcy. Sydney could see, however, that he was totally besotted by her!

Their honeymoon went totally to plan; Nigel having ensured that every part of it was perfect by booking five star hotels and first class flights. The problem was, they were enjoying themselves so much, when it came time to go home, they wished they could stay a bit longer. However, they knew couldn't, as they'd soon have to go back to work. That being the case, they reluctantly packed up their things and flew back to London.

Having arrived at the house, early one Saturday morning, Preston gave them both a big hug, asked the cook for some tea and biscuits, and then led them into the living room "Sit down Podge…Sydney….I have something to show you…but you're not going to like it…I'm afraid."

"What is it Pres? What's wrong?" Nigel asked, feeling a little nervous.

"I'm sorry but um…unfortunately…those bloody paparazzi have been at it again! They were hiding in Trafalgar Square while you were posing for your wedding photos….and they um…darn well took some as well" Preston said, realising it would be best to tell them now before someone else did "Um…the stories they've printed aren't very nice either Podge."

"Oh damn it….why did they have to say things like that Pres?" Nigel said, having read a couple of the headlines which stated he was far from over the ordeal he'd been through in Brazil and implied he was mentally and physically unfit to be a good husband!"

"I expect this is revenge…you know….for escaping their clutches after the trial" Sydney said, as she and Nigel looked angrily at the papers "but Sweetie…. it's your turn to forget about how cruel people can be now."

"Yes Podge…try to ignore it….we all know you're healthy….and that you're going to be a wonderful husband" Preston said, looking at Sydney desperately.

"He is a wonderful husband! The best in the world!" she said, kissing Nigel on the lips and then looking at the papers again "Oh darn it….they've published photos of us stood next to Mr Wykes!"

"What….No!...oh my God….I wish there was something we could do about it Pres….but I guess there isn't"

"Podge you could sue them….but it would be in the courts for years….so you'd suffer even more then…it's just not worth it!"

"Um…alright Pres…I know you're right" Nigel said, trying not to fret "so um….has Paul brought the proper wedding photos around yet?"

"Actually he has….they're in your bedroom…he's put them in some beautiful albums so it'll be easier for you to choose the ones you want…of course….you can have them all if you like" Preston said, as the phone suddenly rang "hello…yes this is Preston Bailey."

Noticing Preston suddenly looked rather surprised and then slightly perturbed, Nigel moved a little closer to him "what's the matter Pres…who is it?" he whispered, believing then that his brother might be receiving bad news. Preston didn't reply but continued to speak to the caller.

"Um…well yes he is….um….alright….but don't you dare upset him!" Preston said, holding the phone in front of him "Podge….it's for you….it's um…Millie Wykes."

Nigel froze for a second "wh…what does she want?" he whispered, taking hold of the phone.

Preston shrugged his shoulders and gave Nigel a bemused look.

About fifteen minutes later Nigel finished the call and looked at Sydney "she um…saw the photos of her dad in the newspapers and well….decided to call him to see if she could work things out between them" Nigel said, realising both Sydney and Preston were desperate to know what was said "anyway...to cut a long story short….they had a long talk and the reason she lied to her dad was because she was in a relationship with….with a woman called Jade…she was just too scared to tell him the truth back then….he's a bit of a homophobe you see….anyway…..she's been living and studying in Nottingham for the past few years and she's um….now got degrees in business administration, IT, history and a couple of other things as well."

"Oh…goodness that all makes sense now…..she seems to be a very clever girl though Nige" Sydney said, feeling far more understanding about Millie now that she'd heard the facts.

"Yes I think she is…but she's um….also a bit unhappy….she's um…just split up with Jade…which is quite hard for her….they'd um….been living together for a long time you see...anyway now she's thinking about coming back to London to work….she said she might try living with her dad again…and start a new life."

"Oh…not what I expected" Preston said, looking most surprised "so I assume her father's accepting she's gay now?"

"She didn't actually say…but apparently he begged her to come home….even after she told him why she left home…so guess he must be….anyway I'm glad we got to the bottom of that."

"Me too Nige" Sydney said, pulling Nigel's hand…."right then…..shall we go and look at Paul's photos?…I hope they're better than the ones in the papers!"

"Gosh….me too!" Nigel said, as they left the room.

The photos turned out to be absolutely stunning and even though there were three albums, containing 100 pictures in each, they kept them all except 10.

Over the next few days Sydney and Nigel decided they weren't going to bother leaving the house, as they'd had a thrilling and amazing time in India and needed to rest. However, having spent some time reading, looking at honeymoon photos and chatting about what they did in the Maldives and India, it suddenly dawned on Nigel that they'd not made any serious plans for the future. With that in mind he took Sydney by the hand and led her into the garden "I loved this house when I was little Syd….mum and dad used to play with Preston and me on the lawn over there" Nigel said, feeling quite nostalgic as he looked across at a neatly cut, grassy area, a few feet away "I'd um….like to buy us a house with a garden like this…although I wouldn't want our house to be as big as this one.….maybe just five or six bedrooms…you know….so that family and friends can stay in comfort…..hopefully though….not too far from the college…I hate all that driving too and from work".

"Oh my goodness Nige….I'd like that too" Sydney said, as she tried to imagine what that would be like.

"I think you'll need a gym….and a pool as well.…then you'll be able to work out any time you like….and well…I can as well…I really need to practice some of the things that Derek taught me….I wasn't even able to fight off old Mr Wykes….never mind any rival relic hunters!" Nigel said, feeling a bit silly and wondering when Sydney would want to start hunting again.

"Actually Sweetie I've hardly thought about relic hunting at all recently….thinking about you and what our life will be like together has been far more important…of course we'll go at some point….but I'm not desperate to hunt right now!" Sydney said, surprising even herself.

"Oh…OK then um….well we'll just um….play it by ear then" Nigel said, not sure what to make of that, but deciding not to worry; especially as he knew that Preston got anxious about him when he went relic hunting with Sydney.

Three days before they were due to return to America, Sydney received a rather irate call from Dean Bernson, who complained that the temp they'd left in charge of Ancient Studies had suddenly decided to go travelling and had left a pile of unfinished reports behind her.

Obviously Sydney apologised and explained that they'd interviewed dozens of people for the role and that she'd been the best.

However, having screamed that as soon as they got back he wanted their first priority to be finding a new assistant, he slammed the phone down, showing a side of his character Sydney had rarely witnessed before.

"I guess you could hear what the Dean said Nige…..he shouted loud enough!…Darn it….he could have waited until our leave was over to tell me that...what does he think I can do from here!" Sydney said, dreading what they'd find when they returned to work "oh well….at least he didn't ask us to fly back immediately!"

"Syd….we did everything we could to find someone to replace Karen….but nobody seemed right….that temp had excellent qualifications and references….that's why we chose her!….I think the Dean was just feeling stressed….I'm sure he'll be calmer by the time we get back though…now come and sit down and have some tea."

"Ah…is there some tea in the pot for me Podge….I'm parched" Preston said, suddenly appearing through the French doors and sitting next to his brother "I've um….just been talking to Mr Wykes….he um….apologised for being so rough with you and for spoiling your wedding day."

"Oh…that's nice of him" Nigel replied, with slight sarcasm in his voice.

"Well actually Podge….because Millie's now told him the whole truth….he felt he had to say he was sorry….I um….didn't mention she'd already explained everything to us though…..he's so overjoyed to have her back…..but very embarrassed about what he did to you."

"Oh um…well….I suppose I shouldn't be too upset with him…I'm um….glad Millie's home…..and I'm glad she's been honest with him…..he'll have no choice but to accept her exactly as she is now….or he'll lose her forever" Nigel said, handing a cup of tea to his brother.

"Well…yes I think you're right Podge."

The next few days just flew by and after a rather tearful goodbye, Sydney and Nigel returned to Trinity. Naturally they felt a little wary about what they might find, but much to their joy they received a wonderful welcome from their colleagues; as well as the Dean. He, of course, apologised for being so rude on the phone and insisted they take a good couple of days to settle back in before starting their search for a new assistant.

Over the next couple of weeks Sydney and Nigel interviewed several applicants for the post of office assistant, some of whom they thought would be a real asset to the department. However, nobody who they offered the position to accepted it, which was pretty upsetting and meant they still had to rely on temps.

One morning, about six weeks after they returned to America, Nigel arrived at the office alone, as Sydney was feeling unwell. The fact was, she'd been ill for a few days and had reluctantly taken Nigel's advice to see a doctor.

Much to everyone's surprise, Sydney took a whole two weeks off work, which worried Nigel a lot, as he'd rarely seen her unwell and by then she'd seen the doctor twice! The fact was, apart from getting her injections and malaria pills for when she went relic hunting; she almost never went to the doctors. Naturally Nigel, being the very caring husband that he was, wanted to know exactly what the doctor had said, and what he could do to help. However, Sydney simply told him it was a stomach bug and that he shouldn't worry at all. Nevertheless, after the second week of watching Sydney constantly throw up, he insisted she get a second opinion, as she appeared to be getting worse.

Realising how upset and worried Nigel was getting, Sydney knew she had to do something to put his mind at rest. Therefore, having asked him to come into the kitchen, she poured out some coffee and looked him in the eye "Sweetie…I know your concerned about my health but well…look….I really didn't want to tell you this just yet.…"

"Oh Syd!….Please don't tell me you've got something life threatening….please….I couldn't bear to lose you!" Nigel said, blinking back the tears.

"No Sweetie….no….you're not going to lose me….I'm fine….really I am….I'm just….well….a little bit pregnant!" she said, waiting to see Nigel's reaction.

"Pr…your…pr…..pregnant!" he squealed, leaping to his feet and pulling her into his arms.

"Oh Sweetie you're pleased….I was so nervous about telling you.….I just didn't think you felt ready to be a daddy yet."

"I'm probably not ready…..but I will be by the time the baby's born….oh Syd…I'm so happy!...I….I just can't believe it….I'm going to be a dad…me….a dad!"

"Yes you Nige!"

"Syd….I'll try to be the best dad I possibly can….I promise…oh my goodness…..I'm just so excited! Oh!...Is it OK to tell Preston? I just can't wait! He'll be so thrilled to be an uncle!"

"Sure….but it's early days.…so I'm not telling many people just yet….oh but I'm coming back to work on Monday….the doctor thinks I'll be OK…although I might have to start a bit later than 8….that is if I'm still throwing up in the morning."

"Are you sure you'll be OK Syd?"

"Yes…of course.…millions of women have babies.…but this obviously means it's more important than ever that we find a permanent assistant…you know at this point I'd even welcome back Claudia!"

"Well I wouldn't go that far….but whether we get a new assistant or not…you're not going to overdo things! You have baby Bailey in there….and he's very fragile" Nigel said, gently holding his hands on Sydney's stomach and looking into her eyes.

"Oh Sweetie….I love it when you get all protective….Hey!...Just a minute….who said it was a he?" Sydney asked, laughing at Nigel, who was still holding her stomach.

"Ha ha….I guess nobody did…but to be quite honest….I don't care if it's a boy or girl….just as long as it's healthy!….Anyway Syd….I'm going to phone Preston now….everyone's going to be so happy" he said, picking up his phone.

He spent about an hour speaking to his 'family', all of whom were overjoyed to hear about the baby. However, just before he put the phone down Preston came back on and gave him some news.

"Hey what's wrong Sweetie?" Sydney asked, as he hung up the phone "you were merrily chatting away and then you suddenly looked so sad….is everyone OK?"

"Oh….oh yes….it's not them….it's um…Mr Wykes…he um….passed away….and um….Millie's been very upset" Nigel said, sitting next to Sydney and resting his head in his hands "Preston said she's blaming herself for his death…she seems to think that all the worrying he did while she was away caused him to have a heart attack."

"Oh that's so sad and probably not the case at all…I guess nobody's going to convince her otherwise right now though….so….when's the funeral? I suppose Preston will want you to be there."

"Oh actually Syd….it was yesterday…..Preston went…..but he said he didn't want to burden me with it when it happened….he thought you were ill you see….I um….have Millie's number though…so I'll ring her in a couple of days to express my condolences" Nigel said, thinking it was going to be hard to know what to say to her, as he really didn't know her that well.

"Actually I think Preston was right not to tell you...soooo….is everyone happy about the baby?" Sydney asked, pulling Nigel close.

"Thrilled to bits Syd….thrilled to bits" Nigel replied, suddenly feeling a little better "you look really happy about the baby Syd….but you um….never seemed overly keen before!... Um not that long ago Relic hunting seemed to be your priority."

"I know Nige….but you're my priority now….and you deserve to have a son or daughter….I think being around the twins and triplets actually brought out my maternal feelings….hey but nobody's more surprised than me!"

Nigel smiled at her "that's quite amazing Syd."

"Oh but Sweetie if you're thinking we can never go relic hunting again…you're wrong…we can…well….as long as Jim Bird comes with us…and nothing's been leaked about the relic…obviously we won't go if there're any risks involved…or if its possible rival that relic hunters will be on our trail" Sydney said, noticing Nigel looked slightly worried.

"N…no Syd….we mustn't take any risks….the very thought of our child having to grow up without parents…like….like I did…is horrible!" Nigel said, with a sad expression on his face.

"Oh we won't Sweetie…we won't" Sydney said, kissing Nigel on the lips.

"So…so who will you leave the baby with if we get offered a safe hunt?" Nigel asked, hoping she wouldn't consider a teenage babysitter, like a lot of families did.

"Well dad and Jenny…of course…..they only live a few miles away now, so I'm sure they'd love to have their grandchild over…we won't be going that often though…maybe a couple of times a year….I'll be a good mother Nige, I promise….and I've no doubt at all that you'll be a wonderful dad" Sydney said, realising that even though Nigel was quite elated with the news, he couldn't quite see how they'd manage it all.

About a week later, just as Nigel had started to feel more at ease with Sydney being pregnant, he remembered he still had to make that awkward call to Millie. Therefore, he went into the living room and nervously picked up the phone "Hi Millie….it's um….Nigel….just calling to see how you are….sorry to hear about your dad."

"Oh hi Nigel…I'm alright thanks….just sorting out dad's things….I need to sell the house you see."

"That's um good…so will you buy another house…or just invest the proceeds?"

"Probably buy another house…I'm actually considering moving back up north though….the houses up there are a lot cheaper than in London….I'll be able to buy a house without a mortgage and have some savings as well" Millie said, still feeling a little embarrassed about the trouble she'd caused to him.

"Well that seems like a good idea….have you got a buyer for your house yet?"

"Not yet…I've only just put it on the market….getting it ready for sale though is an absolute nightmare….the estate agents have all said it needs a good spring clean…..and a lot of repairs done before they'll be able to show it….the trouble is I desperately need to find a temporary job until it's sold…..dad didn't leave much money you see…he only had his pension…the problem is….sorting out of dad's affairs and working on the house is taking up all my time….so it's hard to look for paid work" Millie said, wondering if she really should be telling Nigel that.

"Oh…I'm so sorry….that must be difficult for you" Nigel said, suddenly having a brainwave "Um Millie….have you ever thought about moving abroad….say to America?"

"Well yes...I have actually…..when I was with Jade we both wanted to live in the States….but when we looked into it we discovered that we'd need to have a couple of degrees before they'd accept us….that's why we stayed here…you know…to finish university before trying again" Millie said, wondering why he'd asked that.

"Ah but you have your degrees now… so um….what do you think about this….you see the thing is….my wife…um Sydney and I need an office assistant really badly…you may have heard that Syd's expecting a baby" Nigel said, hoping he wasn't rushing into things in his excitement to help.

"Well yes….your brother told me."

"It's um….partially because of that…but we actually need a permanent assistant in the Ancient Studies department anyway.…we've had temp after temp….but they've either been useless, or they've not been able to stay with us for long….we need someone who's available for at least a couple of years so that Syd and I can take time off with the baby when we need to…..so um….if you take the job you'll be on your own at times…um…running the whole thing….obviously we need somebody who's interested in ancient history and who's hardworking, reliable and efficient…...but um….I'll have to speak to Syd about this before I say anymore…..but you know what….this could be the solution to both of our problems!" Nigel said, hoping Millie would consider it.

"Um…well….that certainly came out of the blue…but it sounds great to me…so you speak to your wife and then if she's happy to consider me for the job…e-mail me with more information…..my e-mail address is milliewykes .…you know Nigel…you might be right….it could be the fresh start I need.…but I'll still have to sort out the house" Millie said, feeling quite stunned.

"Millie…you know you can always rent it out….um….once it's been spruced up a bit…you could use the rent as extra income….or you could even leave it in the hands of an agent to sell for you….Preston knows plenty of people who could help you with that….or anything else you might need."

"Really…do you think he'd mind?...Although I suppose even if I don't come and work for you I could really do with some help…it's just that I'm unemployed….so I can't afford to pay much up front."

"I'm sure he won't mind at all….in fact….look….if you do decide to come over here…I'll pay for a cleaner and handyman to do the work on the house...that should get you here a bit quicker….let me talk to Sydney….and I'll get back to you, alright?" Nigel said, feeling quite optimistic.

"OK Nigel…thanks for the ideas" Millie said, hoping that when she'd read the job description, it would be something she'd enjoy.

As soon as Nigel got off the phone he immediately went into the kitchen where Sydney was making some coffee "Syd….you know I've just called Millie Wykes…well….." he said, going on to explain what Millie was trying to do at home and what had occurred to him.

"Nige!...My goodness that's a great idea….oh…as long as she's OK with it" Sydney said, trying not to get too excited as Millie, obviously, had a lot to think about and she hadn't yet been told what her duties would be.

"If you e-mail her with the information she needs…right now Syd…she might make a quick decision…she knows how desperate we are….and she could easily leave the house in Preston's hands; even if I pay for the actual work to be done" Nigel said, believing his brother would gladly help Millie if it assisted him and Sydney.

"I think you're right Sweetie…Preston will want to help if he can" Sydney said, walking over to the kitchen counter where she'd left her laptop.

"Yes….he knows plenty of builders and decorators….and, of course, Millie will have to get the work done no matter what."

"Yes…this could really work Sweetie….I'm sure she'll be an asset."

"I think so too….oh… she has good qualifications…so there shouldn't be a problem with her coming to America….that is….if she wants the job" Nigel said, feeling quite hopeful.

"Dean Bernson should be able to sort out the legal paperwork Nige….just like he did for you…..if I recall correctly….she has a business administration degree?" Sydney said, trying to remember what else Millie said.

"Yes that's right…and history….IT…and a couple of other things as well" Nigel said, thinking Millie could potentially be perfect!

Over the next few days Sydney and Nigel spent a lot of time e-mailing and talking to Millie as, having received a full list of her duties and salary, she was very happy to accept the position.

Preston, of course, once the situation had been explained to him, found the best possible builders and a decorator to get Millie's run-down house, in order. His main priorities were, of course, to ensure that Millie had nothing to worry about when she left the UK and that his brother and sister-in-law got the help they needed.

Within a month Millie was ready to join Sydney and Nigel at Trinity College. However, remembering his first flight to America, when he took up the position of Sydney's TA, Nigel booked her a first class airline ticket, ensuring she arrived in good spirits, just as he did when he arrived; albeit he was as nervous as hell!

Over the next couple of months Millie settled in very well at the college and soon found herself an amazing apartment and a new girlfriend.

Sydney and Nigel were totally delighted with her and after only five months, having cleared it with the Dean, they gave her a substantial pay increase, to show her how valued she was.

Having not been relic hunting at all, and realising how amazing Millie was, Sydney and Nigel found themselves with time on their hands. Deciding not to waste it, they began looking for their dream home which, just as they'd hoped, they found within walking distance of Trinity. That, of course, was something that Sydney really needed now she was pregnant, as going to the gym was not an option; but walking certainly was.

As soon as they moved into the house, however, they employed a lovely maid call Rose, who was about 50, had a broad Scottish accent and could seemingly turn her hand to just about anything, including cooking, sewing and first aid!

Rose loved the fact that Sydney was expecting, as she adored children, although sadly, just six months previously, her only son had tragically died at the age of 24. Because of this, Rose made a big fuss over Nigel and ensured that Sydney, who she also loved, attended the doctor for her check-ups and took the recommended vitamins.

During one of her visits to the surgery, Sydney got chatting to a nurse called Barbara; who was particularly helpful and friendly. Being aware that this was Sydney's first baby, Barbara advised her to keep a packed suitcase by her bed containing everything she would need for the first couple of days after giving birth. Thinking that was a great idea, Sydney did just that, but then she went one step further and placed complete set of clothes for both her and Nigel on top. That, of course, gave her peace of mind; as she knew they could be ready in minutes should they literally have to rush to the hospital!

By the time Sydney was due to go on maternity leave, the Ancient Studies Department was so well organised she knew there was nothing to worry about. Therefore, feeling very relaxed, considering the size of her abdomen, Sydney decided to spend some time designing the nursery. She'd never done that kind of thing before, but recalled that Nigel had designed his own bedroom when he was a boy; so she just had to give it a go!

Having been told they were expecting a boy, Sydney drew the nursery with yellow walls and white paintwork. Then, just to give it some colour, she added a pale blue carpet, along with some bright blue curtains; with Thomas the Tank Engine on. She kept her laptop by her side as she sketched, which enabled her to actually purchase the items on line that she'd drawn. Every now and again, however, she decided to buy something her design didn't have; such as a complete set of Winnie the Pooh story books! By the end of the day she'd not only finished the design, but she'd bought a really nice cot and wardrobe, an amazing changing station and an extremely sturdy Moses basket. For the finishing touches, she couldn't resist a dozen or so cuddly toys, a very sweet musical mobile to go over the cot, and a comfortable rocking chair for herself.

Obviously, as this baby was going to be born into a very wealthy family, Nigel insisted they have a professionally fitted baby monitoring system. Naturally, because of the horrific experiences he'd been through as a child, he wanted to ensure that his son could be seen and heard at all times, from the living room, kitchen and the master bedroom. He also insisted that all of the downstairs windows should be fitted with alarms, to make absolutely certain the baby was safe.

Feeling the need to be with Sydney, Nigel attended all of her prenatal appointments and made the brave decision that he'd be there at the birth as well. Sydney, however, was against it, not because she didn't want him there, but because she believed that, if there was a lot of blood, he might pass out and cause problems for the obstetrician and nurses!

On 11th May, at 2.30 a.m. Sydney suddenly felt a little uncomfortable and became quite nauseous and hot. Initially she believed that she must have eaten something that had gone off, the day before, at Nigel's birthday party. However, despite the fact that the baby wasn't due for another couple of weeks, at about 3.20 a.m. the pain became so intense she had to wake Nigel up!

"Sweetie….I….I think I need to go to the hospital…..I'm pretty sure I'm having contractions!" Sydney said, taking several deep breaths as she spoke.

"Oh my God Syd…he's not due yet!" Nigel squealed, leaping out of bed and running around to the other side to help her to her feet.

"We need to go now!" she yelled, as the pain suddenly got worse "don't try and dress….just pick up the case and our clothes and get me into the car!….Quick Nige….you can dress when we're there!"

As soon as they were both in the car, Sydney phoned her obstetrician, desperately hoping that he'd be at home and would get to the hospital in time to deliver their son. Luckily he was in and despite the ungodly hour, he promised he'd leave for the hospital immediately.

Bearing in mind how early it was, the roads were pretty clear. However, much to Nigel's horror, a traffic policeman suddenly appeared from nowhere and stopped him for speeding! Of course, within seconds he realised why the young man was doing that and without further delay, he escorted them to the hospital.

Luckily Sydney's obstetrician arrived a mere ten minutes after they did and instantly realised she was about to give birth "Sydney you've got nothing to worry about…I know he's a little early….but he should be fine…..now….let's get you to the delivery room!" he said, very calmly; walking by the side of the gurney and noticing Nigel rushing towards them putting on his shirt.

"I need to be with you Syd….please don't send me away" he said, looking at his wife pleadingly, as he tried to do up his buttons.

"Alright!" she screamed, unable to deal with an argument right then, as she was in such pain.

Having reached the delivery room, Nigel immediately squeezed her hand and kissed her face "I'm here Syd….I love you so much" he said with tears in his eyes.

Amazingly, although he felt a little queasy when he was told the baby's head was out, he didn't faint and he was able to see his beautiful son the moment he was put into Sydney's arms "Oh Syd….he's so tiny….but I guess 5 pounds 13 ounces is alright….oh and look at all that hair" Nigel said, as he suddenly started to feel a little strange.

"Yes he's absolutely gorgeous….although he didn't feel tiny when he was trying to get out! Actually Sweetie….he is quite small….but you heard the nurse say he's got a strong heartbeat and a good pair of lungs" Sydney replied, hugging her son and smiling at Nigel.

"I…I think I'd better go and get a glass of water…I'm feeling a bit…bit" Nigel said, as he passed out in the chair. Everyone, including Sydney, couldn't help but laugh as a nurse put some smelling salts under his nose to bring him around.

"You OK now Sweetie….do you feel well enough to hold your son?" Sydney asked; handing him over to Nigel.

"Oh Syd I can hardly believe it" he said, allowing his tears to fall down his face as he cuddled his son "so um….….have you thought anymore about what to call him? I know we've discussed naming him after our dads a few times?"

"Well yes I have actually….what do you say to Jonathan Randal Bailey?" Sydney asked, as Nigel rocked his son in his arms.

"Oh wow…..you know I love it Syd….but I thought you preferred Randal Jonathan."

"No….not really….Jonathan Randal sounds so much better and….well…dad will get over it….eventually" Sydney said, with a devilish grin on her face.

"Syd….I really have to call Preston…he'll be so happy and he'll want to come and see him" Nigel said, handing the baby back to her and taking out his cell phone. Having spoken to his brother for about ten minutes, he put the phone in his pocket and looked at Sydney, who was already breast feeding Jonathan "oh….th….that's wonderful Syd….you're a natural!...Um…..Preston's tied up with something for the rest of the week.…but he's desperate to see Jonathan….anyway he's going to let me know when he's booked a flight….oh…almost forgot….he's bringing Darcy with him….I think they've really hit it off!"

"That's great!….Can you ask Rose to get a couple of the guest rooms ready for them Sweetie? The large one with the double bed and perhaps the twin one next door….I imagine Preston and Darcy will be sharing by now….but if Rose makes up two rooms they can sleep wherever they like…..Oh and you might want to ask her just to give the nursery a quick check too…..we weren't expecting this one for a week or so" Sydney said, as Jonathan snuggled up to her.

"Don't worry about a thing Syd…it won't take Rose long to do that…she's amazing!"

Five days later, as Sydney was feeling reasonably well and Jonathan was gaining weight, Sydney was given permission to take the baby home with her. The doctors, however, insisted she should take things easy and allow Nigel and Rose to help her. Of course, she realised that Nigel wouldn't have it any other way, but she also knew she was telling a white lie when she agreed to take it easy!

Nigel was overjoyed when he was told that Sydney could come home, although bearing in mind how well he knew his wife, and how stubborn she was, he wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, just yet! With that in mind, he arrived at the hospital an hour earlier than necessary, as he hoped to persuade a nurse to warn Sydney, once again, not to overdo things! However, as luck would have it, he managed to find Sydney's obstetrician, who not only warned her about that, but he also reminded her how worried and stressed Nigel would be if she did!

Sydney realised then that everything the doctors were telling her was not only the best thing for Jonathan; but also for her and Nigel. Therefore, she promised to behave and let an unstressed Nigel bond with the baby.

Once Sydney and Jonathan had been discharged from the hospital, Nigel very carefully started to drive them home in his brand new car "so….do you like the car Syd? I bought it because it's very baby friendly and has tons of room."

"I love it Nige…it's perfect for us….you know I can hardly wait to get Jonathan home so we can start living like a young family should…..I'm looking forward to playing on the lawn with this one….just like you did with your parents."

"Aww that'll be just wonderful Syd….just wonderful."

As soon as they arrived at the house Nigel parked the car, collected Sydney's bags and then led her and the baby up to the front door "Um…anyone in?" Nigel shouted, as he opened the door and looked directly up the stairs; like he was waiting for Rose to reply.

"Surprise!" Preston and Darcy, who'd secretly arrived earlier that day, shouted back

"Come and join the party!" Preston said, taking the bags off Nigel and placing them at the bottom of the stairs.

"How did you manage to keep this a secret Nigel!?" Sydney asked, as she kissed Preston and Darcy.

"I don't know my angel…I honestly thought you'd guess I was hiding something…you usually do!"

"Well usually your face is an open book Sweetie…..but not this time" she said, just as Randal, Jenny, the Dean, Millie and a few of her relic hunter friends came dashing out to greet her "Oh my goodness hi guys! This is amazing!"

Feeling very excited, the guests gathered around Sydney and the baby, wanting to get a good look at the new arrival; who was fast asleep. Naturally, everyone wanted to pick him up and cuddle him, but Sydney worried that he might cry if they did. Therefore, after everyone had had a good look, Rose carefully carried Jonathan up to the nursery and placed him in his cot.

Preston was so delighted to have a little nephew; he even left the party for a while so that he could watch Jonathan sleep. Thinking how much he looked like Nigel, he pulled the baby's little blue blanket up to his tiny chin and placed a cuddly teddy bear under it "you're going to be another little genius like your daddy" he whispered; just as Randal walked into the room.

"He's a great little guy" Randal said, as quietly as possible "he looks like Nigel…but his colouring's more like Sydney's….he's going to be one handsome kid."

"He certainly is…and those two downstairs are going to be wonderful parent's….but um Randal…..I'm rather glad you live so close to them….Nigel needs a man like you around him" Preston said, remembering that not so long ago he felt a bit jealous of Randal and Nigel's affection for each other.

"Nigel's an amazing young man Preston…..Sydney has always needed someone like him.…she just didn't realise it until a couple of years ago…...before that she liked all the wrong guys….but you know what…..from the moment I met Nigel….I knew he was the right man for my daughter" Randal whispered, hoping that didn't seem odd to the Englishman.

"Well I'm glad you got your wish Randal…I've never seen Nigel happier and I'm sure the same goes for Sydney…..I'd um.…better get back to the party now….Nigel will be missing me."

"Yes I guess he will….oh can you tell Sydney I'll be down in a minute" Randal said, sitting down close to the cot.

That night, when the party guests had all gone home, Preston and Darcy sat down in the living room next to Sydney and Nigel. They were obviously very tired from their long flight but Preston also seemed a little on edge.

"Are you OK Pres?" Nigel asked, wondering why he was looking so nervous.

"Y…yes….um...I'm fine….um that was a super party Podge…Rose is a lovely lady and a brilliant cook!"

"She is Pres…..she loves children too….so she's going to be really helpful to Syd."

"Um Podge….I…I have something important to um….tell you….I mean we have" Preston said, taking Darcy by the hand "Um Darcy and I got engaged a couple of weeks ago….and…and we're getting married….in London…on 20th September."

"Wow Preston…congratulations!...You kept that quiet!" Nigel said, jumping up to shake his brother's hand and kiss Darcy "I'm so pleased!...Hey, that's good timing too because Sydney and I have been talking about visiting England around that time…..so um….we can stay at the house for the wedding and then pop over to my house in the Cotswolds after that."

"Perfect!" Preston said, hugging Darcy quite tightly "I'm so glad that you're pleased….we um…weren't sure if you'd think it was a bit too soon…..but um….obviously I'd like you to be my best man!"

"Obviously!...but um….will I have to make another speech?" Nigel asked, already knowing the answer.

"Too right you will! You um….won't need to organise a Stag party though….I'd prefer it to be just you, me and Nathan having a few drinks at The Ritz…Oh and perhaps I'll see if Derek's able to come too…naturally….we'll invite him to the wedding…as well as that cute young lady he met at your wedding.…oh and Cate…of course.…..Um….Darcy darling….you've been a little undecided about having a Hen party…..but how do you feel about it now that these two know our news?" Preston asked, as Darcy cuddled up to him.

"Relieved actually darling…..oh but you know what….I think I might like to have one….now that I know you're not upset with us….but I only want a nice girlie evening at the house….you know….with Mrs Jackson, Alice and obviously you Sydney" Darcy said, as Sydney got up and then sat down beside her.

"Well I'll have the baby to look after….so that's the only way I could do it anyway….oh but Darcy…..congratulations!….I'm so delighted for you…..oh you don't have a ring yet?" Sydney said, looking at her friend's hand and wondering why that was.

"No Syd…not now….it's at the jewellers being altered….Preston just surprised me when he asked me to marry him….and well… he just guessed my ring size."

"Well I'll see it when we come to the wedding…..now I must go to bed…sorry but Jonathan will be getting me up for a feed pretty soon…you coming Nige?" Sydney asked, noticing Nigel jump up enthusiastically; obviously because he was looking forward to having her back in bed with him!

Preston and Darcy's wedding soon came around and it was almost as amazing as Sydney and Nigel's. However, it wasn't just the wedding and their visit to London that Sydney and Nigel enjoyed; they also had great fun at their house in the Cotswolds. The weather was perfect and it was a special time for the young Bailey family, as this was their first holiday together. However, over the next few years they enjoyed many more family vacations in the Cotswolds and all over the world, as well.

Jonathan turned out to be a very happy baby, who rarely cried, except if he was hungry, or wanted to be read to. Naturally, the cute little boy had plenty of toys and books to keep him stimulated and happy, but his favourite toy was the 'magic' bear that the twins had given his father. In fact, since Nigel passed the bear onto his son, Jonathan never went to bed, or anywhere else, without it!

Over the next few years Sydney and Nigel proved to be wonderful parents and, not surprisingly, by the time Jonathan was three years old, he was able to read; just like his dad could at that age. Neither of them was overly strict with their son, but there was one thing that Nigel was very insistent upon, and that was that Jonathan shouldn't go to a boarding school! Luckily, as Sydney knew all about Nigel's horrible treatment at schools like that, in England, she was in total agreement; especially as there were a couple of non-boarding prep schools in the vicinity, who taught particularly gifted children, like their son.

Nigel eventually became a professor and whilst relic hunting was something both he and Sydney still did on occasions, they never took risks anymore as, obviously, they had Jonathan to consider. Their son, however, started to take an interest in relics and ancient history at an early age, as both Sydney and Nigel still authenticated relics and occasionally even brought them home to study.

Having gone through so many terrifying things in the years before he got married, Nigel was, once again, truly happy. He had just about everything a man could ever want, including enough money to last him and his family for the rest of their lives; but more importantly, he had a beautiful loving wife, a wonderful little son and a brother who cared about him in a way that a big brother should.

 **THE END**

 **Well that's it! I want to thank Beatrix for her wonderful reviews, as without those I would have given up on this story a long time ago.**

 **I will still be reading Relic Hunter fanfiction and I'll review each one I read, but I'm not likely to write another one myself (except perhaps a very short one). It made me feel quite sad that so few people liked this story – but I want to thank those who at least gave it a chance!**

 **I assume you've already read "Brotherly Love and Kidnapping" but I hope you'll read (and review) my other stories too:- "Timeline" and "Nigel from the Beginning".**


End file.
